Pro Danube - Events

Danube Ports Days 2025: Empowering the Danube Region with Waterborne Logistics

Organised on 16 and 17 September by Pro Danube and hosted by the National Company Maritime Ports Administration SA Constanta, Danube Ports Days 2025, supported by the EU-funded projects PIONEERS, Green Inland Ports Study and SYNERGETICS and the Danube Ports Network successfully concluded. The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders and experts to discuss and evaluate innovative solutions aimed at achieving sustainability and digitalisation within inland ports and inland waterway transport.

The event streamlined actual topics including innovative solutions to foster energy efficiency, to further enhance digitalisation and to improve the quality of service and reliability of inland waterway transport and port operations. The tour in the Port of Constanta provided an insight to the operations at the gateway to the Danube Region.

The official press release is available for download here

The presentations are available for download here:

Day 1
Day 2

The recording of the event is available here

Danube Ports Days 2024: Navigating Towards Sustainable Multimodality

Organised on 29 and 30 October by Pro Danube and hosted by the Danube Commission, Danube Ports Days 2024, supported by the EU-funded projects MultiRELOAD, Green Inland Ports Study and SYNERGETICS and the Danube Ports Network successfully concluded. The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders and experts to discuss and evaluate innovative solutions aimed at achieving climate neutrality within inland ports in particular and inland waterway transport (IWT) in general.

The event focused on critical themes including the modal shift to eco-friendly transportation, emission insights, and green energy solutions. It showcased cutting-edge digitalisation tools and strategies that are transforming port operations across Europe.

Róbert Rafael, representing Pro Danube, reflected on the event's success: “The Danube Ports Days 2024 provided a unique platform for dialogue among industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders. Our event furthermore hosted a dedicated poster exhibition showcasing key European projects and initiatives, as well as innovative companies leading the way in the field of IWT. We are thrilled with the positive feedback and extend our gratitude to the speakers and attendees for making the event a success.”

The official press release is available for download here.

The recording of Day 1 of the event is available here.
The recording of Day 2 of the event is available here.

Presentations are available for download here:

MultiRELOAD Project, Jan-Christoph Maass, duisport
Multmodal Node Digital Twin, José Antonio Clemente Pérez, Prodevelop
WienCont Container Terminal, Monika Gindl-Muzik, WienCont Container Terminal GmbH
Introduction of MCC, Zoltán Fábián, MAHART Container Center Ltd
Rhenus Port Logistics - Krems & Regensburg, Gerhard Gussmagg, Rhenus Donauhafen Krems GmbH & Co. KG
DP World, Alexandru Crăciun
Environmental Performance Mapping for Inland Ports, Jasper Tanis, Ecorys
Port and Terminal GHG Calculation Guidance, Alan Lewis, Smart Freight Centre
Live Demonstration – Port Environmental Impact Calculator, Anne Kleijn & Nicole Imholz, CE Delft
Air Emissions, Data and Digital Solutions, Jon Lane, RightShip
Environmental Sustainable Management Systems for Inland Ports, Ioanna Kourounioti, Panteia
Digitalisation Masterplan for Inland Ports and Terminals: Good Practices and Future-oriented Actions, Khalid Tachi, EICB and Róbert Rafael/Charlotte Siot, Pro Danube
Innovation Action SYNERGETICS, Benjamin Friedhoff, DST
Sustainable Marine System Design: Propulsion, Power and Energy System Design of a Harbor Tug, Gianluca Giurco, MARIN
Zero Emission Services, Esther Poortstra
Association of the leading European River Cruise Companies, Sascha Gill, European River Cruise Association
Ennshafen on the Way to 2050” - Project SEANERGY Supports us on that Journey, Werner Auer, Ennshafen Port
Project „Green Ports“, Vladimir Pavlović, Port Governance Agency
Hungarian Federation of Inland Ports, Capt. Béla Szalma

Both days of the event featured a dedicated poster exhibition showcasing key European projects and initiatives and innovative companies leading the way in Inland Waterway Transport. This unique exhibition provided an excellent opportunity to explore the latest developments and discover the industry’s efforts to shape its transition towards climate neutrality.

Poster Exhibition

Danube Ports Days 2023: Presentations & Recording

The Danube Ports Days 2023 event, a collaborative effort by Pro Danube in partnership with the EU-funded Green Inland Ports Study, MultiRELOAD and SYNERGETICS projects, and with support from the Danube Ports Network, has successfully concluded. This groundbreaking event served as the focal point for high-profile representatives from the European Parliament, European Commission, international river commissions, port authorities, and various stakeholders in the inland waterway transportation (IWT) sector.

The two-day event, held on 23 and 24 November in Vienna, provided a unique platform for participants to explore innovative tools and solutions geared towards achieving green objectives, sharing experiences, addressing common challenges, and staying updated on latest industry developments. With a specific focus on the European Green Deal, the Danube Ports Days aimed to facilitate collaboration between public and private entities, fostering know-how sharing and feedback collection in pursuit of the ambitious climate targets enshrined in the European Green Deal.

The official press release is available for download here.

Presentations are available for download here:

Keynote Speeches:

Recording of the keynote speeches
Video Message MEP Marian-Jean Marinescu, European Parliament
Enabling Sustainable Management and Development of Inland Ports, Marta Wolska, DG MOVE
Reflections on the Efforts of the City of Vienna on Greening Transport, Sarah Bittner-Krautsack, City of Vienna

Green Inland Ports

Recording of the Green Inland Ports Study Session
Green Inland Ports Study: Enabling the Sustainable Management and Development of Inland Ports, Geert Smit, Ecorys
Quantifying Environmental Impacts of Port Activities, Nicole Imholz & Anne Kleijn, CE Delft
Challenges for Implementing Environmental Measures and Legislation, Frank Stevens, Erasmus University Rotterdam
Legal Framework of Digitalisation in Ports and Terminals, Charlotte Siot (Pro Danube) on behalf of Frank Stevens, Erasmus University Rotterdam
Inventory of Digital Tools Supporting Cooperation and Collaboration, Saša Jovanović, Pro Danube

MultiRELOAD User Forum

Recording of the First MultiRELOAD User Forum
MultiRELOAD User Forum - Teaser Video
Introduction to MultiRELOAD, Jan-Christoph Maass, Duisburger Hafen AG
Bulk Materials as Enabler for Multimodal Transportation on the Danube? What is the Advantage for the Industry?, Herfried Leitner, TTS
MultiRELOAD Demonstrator - Transporting Bulk Cargo in Multimodal Container - Video
Accelerating Modal Shift to Danube Freight Shipping through Containerisation: Identified Market Potentials, Silvia Dopler, Fachhochschule Oberösterreich
Open Innovation Challenge: Agricultural Products on Inland Waterways – Transport Solutions, Henrike Bauer, thinkport VIENNA
How to Optimise Port Operations through Digital Twin?, Ismael Torres, Prodevelop
Establishing the First Multi-Port System for the Hinterland: Connecting Inland Navigation on a Common, Digital Infrastructure, Stefan Wiech, bloog GmbH

SYNERGETICS

Recording of the SYNERGETICS Session
About SYNERGETICS - Teaser Video
Innovation Action SYNERGETICS: Ambition and Current Status, Igor Bačkalov, DST
HYDROGEN: Unveiling the Potential of Hydrogen for Inland Shipping, Jan Andreas, Argo-Anleg GmbH
METHANOL: Introduction of Methanol as a Marine Fuel, Bengt Ramne, ScandiNAOS AB
ELECTRIFICATION: Swappable Battery Containers. Also a Solution for Long Distances?, Koen van Eig, Zero Emission Services
Danube's Fuel Revolution: Challenges for the Adoption of Alternative Fuels, Bernhard Bieringer, Kanzlei Anzböck

SEANERGY

Sustainability Educational Programme for Greener Fuels and Energy on Ports, Karin Voglsam, Port of Enns

Danube Commission

Knowledge Exchange and Action Plans for Danube Ports, Dejan Trifunovic, Danube Commission
Recording of the SEANERGY and Danube Commission Session

Save the Date! Danube Ports Days 2023

Initiated by DAPhNE and successfully continued on a yearly basis by DIONYSUS, the Danube Ports Days have become a must-attend event on the agenda of the IWT community in the Danube Region and well beyond, providing a transnational platform to discuss, by bringing together decision-makers, experts and the IWT sector, key aspects related to port development issues. This year's event is organised by Pro Danube in cooperation with the Green Inland Ports, MultiRELOAD, and Synergetics projects with the support of the Danube Ports Network.

When: 23-24 November 2023
Where: thinkPORT VIENNA & online

REGISTER

Save the Date! High-Level Event co-organised by CPMR & Pro Danube in the European Parliament

We cordially invite you to participate in the high-level event co-organised by Pro Danube International in the frame of our Europe-wide campaign, dedicating the year 2022 to the promotion of Danube Logistics and Tourism under the motto

GO GREEN, GO SMART - CHOOSE DANUBE IWT

The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness on recent and planned developments focusing on new beginnings in line with the European policy framework, highlighting the strengths and opportunities of Danube waterborne transport, while bringing together policy and decision-makers, experts, and the business sector in order to achieve the European goal of increasing transport by inland waterways and short sea shipping by 25% by 2030, and by 50% by 2050.

Entitled "Inland Waterways Transport in the Danube: taking stock of the NAIADES III Strategy", the online event is co-hosted by MEP Carmen Avram, SEArica Vice-Chair for the Danube and the Black Sea & MEP Caroline Nagtegaal, SEArica member & EP rapporteur of "Towards Future-proof Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) in Europe". Pro Danube will set the regional perspective with inputs from key business stakeholders.

The event is supported by SEArica - Seas, Rivers, Islands & Coastal Areas Intergroup of the European Parliament and is co-organised by Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions and Pro Danube International.

For details & registration please click here.

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