Climate change is today one of the most pressing issues that the entire world is faced with, and the EU policy and legal framework are evolving accordingly. The EU Green Deal and in particular the ‘Fit for 55 package’ will require a profound and quick transformation of the waterborne transport sector in terms of technologies employed, operations, trainings, business models, and so on. One of the few ways this can be achieved is through increased RD&I activities starting today.
Under the motto “WeareWaterborne”, the
LASTING project - of which Pro Danube is a proud member of - aims to inform and increase the waterborne transport stakeholders’ engagement in EU-wide RD&I activities. This will be done in particular by helping the stakeholders access the necessary funding and by providing them much of the key information regarding RD&I needs and information gaps.
In this context, we are pleased to invite you to LASTING’s stakeholders’ workshop, scheduled for 22 March 2022 from 09:30 – 13:00 o’clock, to discuss with you how the waterborne transport sector can face these challenges. We will present the project’s findings over the last year concerning the sector’s information gaps regarding RD&I needs, information availability, and accessibility regarding the various funding & financing opportunities that exist in the EU as well as selected national programmes for our sector.
Furthermore, we will also touch upon the necessity of having a better information and communication campaign in the EU on such topics, so that as many stakeholders can obtain the much-needed information and funding in a timely manner. We can all play an essential role in communicating about the numerous opportunities.
This workshop is addressed in particular to those working in the R&I activities, on both technical and communication & PR aspects. Your help is crucial and that is why we would like to have your input!
In case you would like to join, please be so kind as to register via the link below by the 18th of March, COB. We kindly encourage you to fill in the short questionnaire that we have included in the registration system, in order to have a better overview of our audience and their expectations.
The agenda is available
here.
Please note that the event is planned to take place in online mode only.
Register
Pro Danube was honoured by the invitation of
UNECE to present in the frame of its
60th session of the Working Party on the Standardization of Technical and Safety Requirements in Inland Navigation (part of the working group on “Prevention of pollution from inland waterway vessels and greening of the inland transport sector”) port development projects in the Danube Region. The event, attended by several European IWT experts ranging from River Commissions, representatives of IWT branch organisations and policy makers, set the stage for the participants to take part in fruitful discussions and share their experiences and examples of best practices to facilitate the greening of inland navigation. During its intervention, Pro Danube represented by Ms Ruxandra Matzalik Florescu, provided insight to Danube Region projects on ports, highlighting several examples of past, ongoing, and planned projects delivering solutions for the benefit of Danube Region ports.
Starting with the policy initiative launched by Pro Danube in 2016, the Green Deal for Danube River Transport proposes a set of solutions that focus on the modernisation of the fleet, the reduction of the environmental impact, and the development of Danube ports as catalysts for economic development on the regional level and beyond. In 2017, Pro Danube successfully started the implementation of the Green Deal by means of the
DANTE and
DAPhNE transnational projects and has taken serious actions towards the modernisation of the Danube fleet in the framework of the
GRENDEL approach.
The implementation of the
DTP funded projects DANTE, DAPhNE and GRENDEL managed to produce tangible results for the benefit of the entire Danube IWT industry, setting the scene to successfully cope with the challenges faced by the sector as a result of Europe’s ambitious plan to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
Given the need to continue supporting the Danube IWT sector on its pathway towards a modern, reliable and safe mode of transport, the
DIONYSUS project, a follow-up of DAPhNE, was initiated in 2020 having the core objective to address main regional challenges in port infrastructure governance and planning in order to facilitate the integration of the Danube Region into smart and sustainable multi-modal transport chains. One of the most important outcomes of the DAPhNE project – the
Danube Ports Network (DPN) – continues to facilitate cooperation between the inland and maritime ports of the Danube Region in the frame of DIONYSUS as well.
- digitalisation, smart infrastructure, use of smart technologies and deployment of applications,
- development of alternative fuels infrastructure incl. electrification and
- sustainable cargo handling infrastructure development for efficient port operations & services, new logistics concepts.
In line with the first topic, just to name a few examples – with regard to RIS – the implementation of EURIS at EU level and CEERIS at corridor level, introducing a harmonised solution to support sustainable and smart navigation in terms of voyage planning and for administrative reporting. Projects like
PLATINA3,
DIWA,
PhysICAL,
PIONEERS look at aspects such as synchromodality, smart infrastructure, testing Physical Internet.
Regarding the second topic, Pro Danube pointed out the further development of on-shore LNG infrastructure in AT, SK, HU, the start of some initiatives around Hydrogen as fuel as well as the further development of OPS (On-shore Power Supply) infrastructure.
Last but not least, regarding the third category, it is worth mentioning two finalised projects – namely
High Performing Green Port Giurgiu which delivered a fully operational covered /weather independent tri-modal terminal in the Port of Giurgiu (Romania), and
NOVIMAR delivering innovative concepts for container handling and container transporting vessels. Planned activities are in the frame of two projects – namely MultiReload proposing port solutions for efficient and sustainable mobility with a focus on the port of Duisburg and GROWPort delivering studies for the rollout of a green container terminal in the Port of Constanta.
Last but not least, Pro Danube referred to a few other projects dealing with greening technologies, waterborne promotion as well as education and training – projects such as
STEERER,
LASTING, series of
FAIRWAY projects,
COMPETING and
IW-NET.
On the 23 November, more than 100 stakeholders from the public and the private sector participated in the transnational workshop on digitalization in Inland Waterway Transportation (IWT). The workshop was a joint initiative of the European projects
Platina 3,
Masterplan DIWA,
RIS COMEX and
DIONYSUS and the sector organizations
Pro Danube Management,
EICB and the
IWT Platform.
The workshop focused on how digital transformation can support business activities and reporting formalities in the upcoming years. Participants provided valuable inputs regarding further requirements on synchromodality, ICT infrastructure, River Information Services and Smart Shipping, data sharing & integration, cybersecurity and compliance.
During the plenary part of the workshop, the 4 projects were introduced by short interviews moderated by the Master of Ceremony Henk van Laar. The workshop perfectly fitted into the timelines of each project, as currently project partners of PLATINA3, Dionysus and the masterplan DIWA are working on collecting input for their dedicated studies, yet at the same time giving them the chance to share intermediate results with a wide range of experts. The RIS COMEX project will launch its European fairway information portal ‘EuRIS’ in the course of 2022.
Four themes
After the break, the participants joined either one of the four break-out rooms to go into more detail and moreover to share opportunities, requirements and discuss how relevant authorities together with the industry representatives can support a successful digital transformation in IWT.
The themes of the four break out rooms were:
- Smart Shipping
- Synchro modality
- River Information Services
- Sea and inland ports
This thematic approach resulted in lively discussions and new expert inputs relevant for all of the European projects. During the final plenary part, the results of the discussions in the break-out rooms were shared with all the participants. Representatives from European Commission’s DG MOVE congratulated the initiative and highlighted the need for similar future cooperation activities of the IWT sector in Europe.
The 2021 Danube Ports Day