The DiVINE (Digitalisation Vision Inland Navigation Europe) project officially kicked off on 3 October 2025 and will run for 36 months.
Coordinated by the European IWT Platform and co-funded through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the project will support the European Commission DG MOVE in implementing the Digitalisation Vision for Inland Waterway Transport as part of the European Green Deal.
The DiVINE consortium brings together a strong partnership of organisations with extensive expertise in the sector:
- European IWT Platform
- Ecorys
- Danube Commission
- EICB
- viadonau
- Circle Group
Main objectives
DiVINE aims to turn the shared vision for digitalising the inland waterway transport sector into a concrete implementation plan and roadmap, guiding action towards 2035. This involves fostering closer cooperation between public and private stakeholders across all navigable EU river basins to make inland navigation a competitive, resilient, innovative, and digitally integrated mode of transport.
Key pillars
The project builds on the pillars defined in the Inland Waterway Transport Digitalisation Vision, focusing on:
- Smart Administration: streamlining reporting and regulatory procedures through digital tools and single windows;
- Smart Vessels: promoting automation and the use of next-generation technologies on board;
- Smart Infrastructure: enabling continuous, cross-border corridor management through digital twins and intelligent systems;
- Smart Data: establishing trusted, interoperable data spaces to connect IWT with other transport modes.
These components are closely linked with two further objectives: the creation of an IWT Data Space within the European Mobility Data Space, and the implementation of RIS Network Management at the European level.
Main tasks
Over the course of the project, the consortium will:
- Map relevant actors across Europe’s inland waterway transport ecosystem;
- Elaborate and operationalise the objectives of the Digitalisation Vision;
- Engage stakeholders through a structured consultation process;
- Carry out outreach and communication activities to disseminate findings and build consensus;
- Address unforeseen issues to ensure the project’s smooth implementation.
The outcomes of these tasks will feed into a comprehensive implementation plan and roadmap, providing the European Commission and sector stakeholders with a structured pathway to achieve the Vision’s objectives by 2035.
