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northcork@leo.corkcoco.ie
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Cork North & West

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Brexit Blue Economy

Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme

The purpose of the scheme is to counter the adverse economic and social consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on businesses operating in the blue economy and located in communities within 10km of the coastline.

Three types of projects will be considered for funding:

  • Project Type 1 – Capital Investment
  • Project Type 2 – Business Mentoring and Capacity Development
  • Project Type 3 – Upskilling and Training

Project Type 1 – Capital Investment

Projects that support capital investment by enterprises engaged in the blue economy. These investments will enable innovation, diversification, value-adding, and will allow enterprises to increase employment and support the evolution of enterprises through scaling-up. The Scheme will prioritise enterprises that are directly involved in inshore fisheries and/or are classified as micro businesses. The scheme will also prioritise those that are purchasing equipment that supports entrepreneurial initiatives that build economic, social and environmental sustainability within coastal communities.

Project Type 2 – Business Mentoring and Capacity Development

Business mentoring and capacity development projects will support businesses or individuals engaged in the blue economy to develop their businesses and allow them to maximise current and future opportunities as well as allowing them to adapt to the new market realities and opportunities post-Brexit.

Project Type 3 – Upskilling and Training 

With the projected loss of employment from the fishing industry arising from the TCA (Trade and Cooperation Agreement), upskilling and training will support individuals to make use of their existing skills and knowledge gained through a lifetime spent in the marine sector. Upskilling and training will allow them to develop new skills that will enable them to exploit complementary economic opportunities in the blue economy. Upskilling and training will also cover digital literacy giving businesses or individuals the skills and ability to connect with and exploit the opportunities of the increasingly digital-first world.

Who is Eligible

Project Type 1 and 2

  • Initiatives proposed by applicants must be located within 10km of the coastline, excluding metropolitan electoral districts.
  • Applications must have a demonstrable connection to the blue economy and must be within one of the following blue economy sectors:
    • Small Non-Commercial Harbour/Pier Activities
    • Boat Building and Repair
    • Coastal Tourism
    • Marine Leisure and Sport
    • Seafood
    • Renewable Energy Initiatives supporting the Blue Economy
  • Applicant must be an entrepreneurial initiative
  • Applicant must be a micro or small enterprise

Project Type 3

  • Any persons who live or work within 10km of the coastline.
  • Applicants for Type 3 projects are not required, where the training facilitates entry into the blue economy, to demonstrate an existing link to the blue economy.

Each application must include the Eircode of the project. BIM will use this Eircode to check project eligibility. If you would like to check this yourself using BIM’s online mapping tools, please click here.

What is FundedWhat is Funded

Project Type 1 – Eligible Activities

Capital investment projects from entities operating in or seeking to enter the blue economy and that promote entrepreneurial initiatives such as value adding or increasing employment opportunities in coastal areas. These are categorised under blue economy areas as follows:

  • Small Non-Commercial Harbour/Pier Activities
    • Facilities that will increase economic activity e.g. ticketing offices; waiting area/reception; facilities, etc
    • Website trading platform or booking portal
  • Boat Building and Repair
    • Runways to improve manufacturing/mending capabilities
    • Website trading platform or booking portal
    • Capital items that will enable boat building and repair business to increase economic activity e.g. cradle, crane, ship lift, etc
  • Coastal Tourism
    • Capital items for marine education initiatives e.g. Commercial education/experiential vehicle; aquarium; museum; interpretative centre
    • Upgrade of marine education initiative capital items e.g. Exhibit display cases; interpretative devices; furniture; minor building works
    • New visitor centre e.g. Tasting centre; interpretive centre for a blue economy business; new visitor centre attaching to a seafood business
    • Visitor centre upgrade e.g. Exhibit display cases; interpretative devices; furniture; minor building works
    • Seafood tourism projects e.g. New experiential seafood visitor initiatives
    • Website trading platform or booking portal
    • Glamping and campsite facilities upgrade e.g. Upgrade of communal areas; toilets; showers; reception; other facilities
    • Glamping and campsite accommodation e.g. Tents or other accommodation units
    • Purchase of new non-fishing vessel e.g. Whale watching vessel; coastal sightseeing tour vessel
    • Qualifying vessel fit out or re-fit for non-fishing activities
    • Audio interpretation for coastal cruises e.g. Multi-language/pre-recorded interpretation
  • Marine Leisure and Sport
    • Angling vessel e.g. charter vessel for paying angling guests; must not be a sea fishing registered vessel
    • Marine tourism vessel e.g. dive vessel
    • Qualifying vessel fit out e.g. holder for tanks
    • Rigid Inflatable Boat e.g. safety vessel; dive vessel; tourism vessel; coastal sightseeing tour vessel
    • Marine sport and leisure equipment e.g. surf boards; dinghies; kayaks; SUP’s
    • Marine sport and leisure accessories e.g. Dive equipment; tanks; wetsuits; paddles; buoyancy aids
    • Marine sport or leisure facilities upgrade e.g. changing rooms
    • Seaweed leisure facilities e.g. mobile seaweed baths; upgrade of seaweed baths
    • Gangways that can be stowed on a vessel
    • Website trading platform or booking portal
    • Aquapark e.g. new, upgrade or additions to an existing aquapark
  • Seafood
    • Seafood food truck – must be predominantly seafood (>50% of menu) with a seafood theme
    • Seafood retail trailer e.g. mobile fishmonger
    • Non-passenger vehicle for marketing of seafood e.g. commercial refrigerated van
    • Seafood retail facilities fit-out or upgrade e.g. counter; display units; signage; seating
    • Website trading platform or booking portal
    • Seafood live holding equipment to develop markets for retail/ wholesale
    • Restaurant Fish Display e.g. fish counter
    • Shellfish live holding facility e.g. live shellfish display tank in restaurant/shop
    • Capital items for seaweed processing e.g. dryer; processing equipment
    • Seafood food truck furniture e.g. tables, chairs, awning
    • Aquaculture service vessels
    • Capital equipment for aquaculture service vessels e.g. hydrolicer; thermolicer; net washer
    • Seafood retail furniture e.g. tables, seats, awnings for fishmongers
    • Third party aquaculture service vessels
    • Capital equipment for third party aquaculture service vessels e.g. hydrolicer; thermolicer; net washer
  • Renewable Energy Initiatives supporting the Blue Economy
    • Hybrid/electric engines for qualifying non fishing vessels
    • Solar photovoltaic panels
    • Solar thermal collector
    • Wind turbine
    • Combined heat and power plant 
    • Biomass system with a combined heat and power plant
    • Geothermal and ground source heat pumps 
    • Lighting retrofit
    • Lighting controls upgrade
    • Heating set point regulation and controls upgrade
    • Refrigeration temperature control upgrade
    • Refrigeration pipe insulation
    • Free cooling ventilation and air conditioning
    • Variable speed drives (VSD) in electrical motors, drives and pumps
    • Wind farm service vessel
    • Capital equipment for windfarm service vessels
    • Energy efficient compressed air replacement
  • Projects must be completed by 30th September 2023.

More Info here

 

Financial Supports