Under the title “Danube Ports in the digital age: challenges & opportunities”, the event featured 14 speakers that ranged from leading experts in ICT, digital transformation and innovation in maritime and inland ports and navigation, to transport, logistics, supply chain and automation experts, to EU transport policy and funding experts. The conference highlighted current EU policies and legislative initiatives to support sea & inland ports digitalisation, showcased how first-movers have responded to the digital challenge and driven the needed change at port organisation and port community level i.e the case of Port of Barcelona, the Port of Rotterdam model, the HAROPA (Le Havre – Rouen - Paris) and the Upper Rhine smart corridor approaches etc.
New technologies are rapidly changing the transport and logistics landscape, hence requesting all transport, logistics and supply chains actors, including inland and sea ports, to be more innovative and agile. Danube ports cannot ignore the rising tide of global digitalisation and port authorities need to prepare for and invest now in their digital future. However, it is often unclear what “digital” means for a port organisation, its core business and the port community at large. Port digitalization it is in fact a long-term process which requires port organisations and port stakeholders alike to undergo continuous structural, functional and strategic transformations.
Are ports in the Danube Region prepared for such a transformational journey? What are the pre-requisites and the capabilities needed to enable such a process? What is the role of a port authority to leading such a process and foster a digital culture in its own organisation and at port community level?
To answer these questions and kick-start a more structured debate on port digitalisation, relevant digital trends & technologies in the port domain, the Danube Ports Network has organised within the context of the DAPhNE Project its first thematic conference dedicated to port digitalisation.
Under the title “Danube Ports in the digital age: challenges & opportunities”, the event featured 14 speakers that ranged from leading experts in ICT, digital transformation and innovation in maritime and inland ports and navigation, to transport, logistics, supply chain and automation experts, to EU transport policy and funding experts.
The conference highlighted current EU policies and legislative initiatives to support sea & inland ports digitalisation, showcased how first-movers have responded to the digital challenge and driven the needed change at port organisation and port community level i.e the case of Port of Barcelona, the Port of Rotterdam model, the HAROPA (Le Havre – Rouen - Paris) and the Upper Rhine smart corridor approaches etc.. Furthermore, the conference gave insight into ongoing port digitalisation projects and initiatives -- illustrating how modern communication technologies can help to sustainably optimise the processes and operations of river and sea ports. Last but not least, participants got to experience cutting-edge technologies and innovative digital solutions for integrated port traffic management, Port Community System and Supply Chain Route Planning during an interactive online workshop run by the Port of Rotterdam.
Over 50 committed representatives of the DAPhNE project partner organisations, along with representatives of relevant public and private stakeholders of the Danube port and waterborne transport community came together on 10 April 2019 in Vienna to celebrate in the framework of DAPhNE project the official launch of the Danube Ports Network (DPN).
The event took place in the context of DAPhNE’s Danube Ports Policy Day (2nd edition)and provided a formal opportunity to validate the key tenets of the DPN’s vision, mission and values to further strengthen the commitment of its strategic partners. Indeed, eight out of thirteen partner port organisations currently involved in the DAPhNE project, made a tangible commitment to continue working with and for the DPN - beyond its pilot action phase (June 2018 - June 2019). Their commitment has been formally expressed and recorded by the signature of the Danube Ports Network Letter of Commitment (LoC).
The following key strategic partners have signed the LoC and thus formalised their commitment to the DPN, namely: the Hungarian Federation of the Danube Ports (Hungary) - represented by Capt. Béla SZALMA President, Ennshafen OÖ GmbH (Austria) - represented by Werner AUER, General Manager, Rhenus Donauhafen Krems GmbH &Co. KG (Austria) - represented by Gerhard GUSSMAGG, Managing Director, the Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company (Bulgaria) - represented by Anguel ZABURTOV, Director General, the ICS Danube Logistics SRL/Giurgiulesti International Free Port (Moldova) - represented by Thomas MOSER, Director Business Development, the Port of Vukovar Authority (Croatia) - represented by Alen JAKUMETOVIC, Managing Director, the Public Ports Slovakia Jsc. (Slovakia), represented by Gabriel SZEKERES, CEO and Ing. Josef BODI, Director investment directorate, and Port Governance Agency (Serbia), represented by Vuk PEROVIC, Acting Director.
With the DPN strategic partnership formalised in the framework of the DAPhNE project, another key milestone was reached in the DPN's organisational life. Along with the operationalisation of the DPN Governance structure i.e. the formation of its 1st Advisory Group and the setting-up of the DPN Technical Secretariat - concrete steps have been taken in contributing to DPN’s institutional consolidation and growth. All these aspects, along with an overview of key initiatives and upcoming activities of the DPN as well as other specific thematic topics were further discussed during the official launch the event.
With a high number of its members in attendance, Pro Danube International held its annual General Assembly on 10 April 2019 in Vienna. General Secretary, Mr. Manfred Seitz, presented PDI's annual report, highlighting the major accomplishments in 2018 and informing the audience about the financial and administrative status of the association.
A major highlight of this year’s General Assembly was the election of the Board of Directors where changes became necessary after the sad and premature death of Mr. Alexandru Capatu and the planned career change of Mr. Manfred Seitz who will become General Director of the Danube Commission as of 1st of July. The decision was made unanimously with following results: Mr. Herfried Leitner was elected to serve as the new Chairman of PDI. He holds a master’s degree (MSc) in Economics and Supply Chain Management and has over two decades of experience in managing major logistics companies. His deputies are Mr. Șerban Cucu, who served for many years as a General Director in the Romanian Ministry of Transport and now represents the Romanian Barge operators and Mr. Peter Wötzinger (MSc), who has extensive experience as consultant in managing international large-scale private and public construction projects.
Mr Robert Rafael and Mr Herfried Leitner
Mr. Róbert Rafael was elected as PDI’s new General Secretary. Mr. Rafael holds a master’s degree (MSc) in Economics and in Business Law. He initiated and managed several innovative IWT-related projects in the field of RIS, IWT promotion and inland ports (Improvement of the navigability of the Danube); he is member of the European Commission DTLF and DINA working groups and the RIS Expert Group on Notices to Skippers. Mr. Thomas Moser (Danube Logistics) and Mr. Friedrich Lehr (Port of Vienna) were both elected to serve as supporting members to the Board of Directors.
The Danube Commission hosted on 26 March 2019 two major events in the framework of the GRENDEL project. Whereas the topics of the first public consultation evolved around the CESNI and the Danube Commission’s work programme related to technological and educational standards, the aim of the workshop was to gather first-hand inputs from stakeholders and the responsible state authorities in the elaboration process of a harmonised State Aid Scheme at transnational level (“Model State Aid Scheme”). The series of public consultations held in the framework of the GRENDEL project are an instrument for initiation and revision of policy frameworks at both national and European levels in order to ensure favourable legal preconditions for the overall modernisation process of the Danube fleet. Furthermore, this first public consultation, by reuniting Danube fleet operators with the relevant state authorities, sets the ground for subsequent discussions and recommendations, ensuring that vital interests of Danube fleet operators are collected systematically and are well represented in the on-going work of regulatory bodies. The outcomes of the public consultations will be summarised into position papers and presented to the national/European policy makers and experts for policy and regulatory activities.
The second part of the working day was dedicated to a widely neglected issue in the Danube region: the creation of an efficient funding instrument to support vessel operators in modernising their fleet. Considering the potential of inland waterway transport (IWT) in significantly reducing road congestion and air pollutant emissions, adapting the Danube fleet to innovative technologies is no longer an option, but a must. However, investing in a fleet that is on average more than 40 years old represents a huge financial challenge for vessel operators. Therefore, creating a dedicated model State Aid Scheme that supports investments in the Danube fleet is necessary to enable IWT to compete with other modes of transport.
Presumably based on 3 pillars – greening of the fleet, multimodality and safety – the model State Aid Scheme delivered by the GRENDEL project will have the potential to significantly boost the attractiveness of the IWT sector by better responding to industry needs, making businesses more profitable and increasing the overall economic efficiency of IWT.
The main conclusion of both events was that time is running out, as the general condition of the Danube fleet is rather poor. Investing in the proper maintenance of the river by ensuring uninterrupted navigability periods and greening the fleet are necessary measures to efficiently integrate IWT in the intermodal supply chain and to respond to the emission requirements set by the European legislation.
