On 6 November 2024, The European IWT Platform hosted the First PLATINA4Action Stage Event in Brussels. The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and IWT experts to explore pathways for advancing the inland waterway transport sector through innovative and sustainable solutions explored in the PLATINA4Action Project. The event was organised back to back with the NAIADES Expert Group meeting and the SYNERGETICS conference, a series of events and meetings that explored the challenges and opportunities within IWT, aligning them with the European Green Deal objectives.
Morning Session: Policy Perspectives for the IWT Sector
The day opened with a panel discussion on the EU Transport Agenda, which delved into updated policy priorities following the instalment of the new European Commission and Parliament. Participants engaged in a thought-provoking dialogue on the alignment of EU transport policies with the needs of the IWT sector. Key topics included the regulatory and governance framework, funding mechanisms, fleet greening, and infrastructure investment.
Christiaan van Lancker, President of the European IWT Platform, delivered an inspiring keynote, emphasising: “The inland waterway transport sector must embrace collaboration and innovation to remain competitive while addressing environmental and economic challenges. Only by aligning policy frameworks with industry needs can we ensure a sustainable and resilient future for Europe’s waterways.”
The Morning Session included a panel discussion on the Policy Priorities and the Role of Inland Waterways in the EU transport agenda. The panel featured prominent speakers, including Hugues Van Honacker (EC-DGMOVE), Manfred Seitz (Danube Commission), and Karin De Schepper (Inland Navigation Europe) Theresia Hacksteiner (European Barge Union), Christiaan Van Lancker (European Skippers Organisation), Karin De Schepper (Inland Navigation Europe), Godfried Smit (European Shippers Council) and Jaap Gebraad (Waterborne TP). Moderated discussions facilitated by Janeta Toma (European IWT Platform) encouraged a dynamic exchange of perspectives, addressing the critical components necessary for the IWT sector’s success.
Afternoon Sessions: PLATINA4Action’s strategic response to IWT challenges
The afternoon sessions shifted focus to PLATINA4Action’s thematic sessions, Martin Quispel (EICB) provided an overview of the project’s achievements to date, while Gabriel Mialocq (CINEA) outlined research and innovation opportunities within EU funding programmes.
The thematic sessions included contributions from PLATINA4Action’s Consortium experts including Severin Fraundorfer (viadonau) and Edwin van Hassel (University of Antwerp) who discussed NAIADESIII policy assessment and the role of digital twin, Khalid Tachi (EICB) and Benjamin Friedhoff (DST) delved into emission labelling systems and Jaap Gebraad (Waterborne TP) presented the the crafting of a RD&I roadmap for IWT.
The day concluded with a panel discussion on zero-emission innovation. Policy and Industry stakeholders like Muhammed Elemenler (DG MOVE), Marc Vanderhaeghe (CINEA), and Pieter Huyskens (Damen RD&I B.V), ), Marnix Vos (Nedcargo), Almar van Herk (KOTUG), and Koen van Eig (Zero Emission Shipping) shared their perspectives and experiences in overcoming financial, regulatory, and technical barriers to deploying green technologies.
To learn more about PLATINA4Action and access the event recording and presentations, visit PLATINA4Action’s official website.
