Pro Danube had the honour of taking part in the first meeting in the Danube Region with Ms. Margarida Marques, the newly appointed European Coordinator of the TEN-T Rhine-Danube Corridor. The meeting, held at thinkport VIENNA, brought together several Pro Danube members and key partners from across the sector to discuss the most pressing topics in Danube waterborne transport sector.The event featured engaging and inspiring discussions with Ms. Marques and representatives from the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Pro Danube Austria, viadonau, Hafen Wien GmbH (Port of Vienna), RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria AG, Felbermayr, TTS and other important stakeholders from industry, logistics, and research. The lively discussions highlighted the shared commitment to advancing sustainable and efficient transport along the Danube Corridor.
Key takeaways from the meeting:
- Additional funding opportunities are expected under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
- Reliable navigability and effective water level management remain vital for cost-efficient inland waterway transport.
- Strategic investments in port and lock infrastructure are crucial to boost competitiveness.
- Heavy and high cargo transport, energy transition logistics, and digital monitoring systems will have an increasingly important role in the years ahead.
Pro Danube extends its best wishes to Ms. Margarida Marques for a successful and impactful term as European Coordinator and looks forward to continuing close cooperation for the future of Danube transport.