PLATINA3 Final Event highlights need for zero-emission inland navigation

At the opening of the event, Ms Adina Vălean, European Commissioner for Transport, congratulated the inland waterway family for the hard work and resilience despite facing challenges such as the COVID pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and recurrent low water levels. She emphasized the need for a good mix of policies, incentives, and industrial engagement to achieve Zero Emission by 2050.
Ms Vălean stressed the importance of research and innovation and lauded the EU-funded projects on greening inland ports, using inland waterways for urban and short-range transport, and automated vessels. She invited the inland waterway family to make use of the funding available through the Connecting Europe facility, especially for the purpose of getting zero-emission vessels.

Paul Goris, President of the EU IWT Platform and Board Member of SPB/EICB, delivered a speech praising the project partners for their excellent job. He emphasized some critical issues, including greening of the fleet, infrastructure, digitalization, and modal shift, that the industry needs to address to achieve its goals. “This event should be an important element in the start of something big for  Europe, big for our industry, big for all that want our world to be greener and still more than ever able to meet the transport needs for European consumers, shippers, industrial companies, traders and all that are today the users of our inland waterway network and that will become the users of it tomorrow, or after tomorrow.”- stated Mr Goris.

Since its launch in January 2021, the PLATINA3 project has ensured targeted coordination and support activities to further advance IWT policies, research & innovation priorities and promote IWT in Europe. It has enabled the creation of a knowledge base for the IWT sector, which shall continue supporting the implementation of the EU Green Deal and the European Commission’s IWT action programme (NAIADES III) towards 2030. To this end, PLATINA3 addresses topics related to Market, Fleet, Infrastructure, and Jobs & Skills that are instrumental in ensuring the competitiveness, environmental and social sustainability, and innovative development of IWT. Reports are available on the PLATINA3 website.

Download photos from the event:

Ms Adina Vălean, European Commissioner for Transport
Paul Goris, President of the EU IWT Platform and Board Member of SPB/EICB
Martin Quispel (SPB/EICB), PLATINA3 Project coordinator
Nik Delmeire, Coordinator of European IWT Platform

Press contact:

Nik Delmeire
Tel: +32 494560707
Mail: n.delmeire@inlandwaterwaytransport.eu

PLATINA 3

The PLATINA3 project’s objective is to support the European Commission with the implementation of the NAIADESIII action programmes. This programme should make sure that Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) meets the objectives as set up in the EU Green Deal and Europe’s ambition regarding Smart and Sustainable Mobility.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101006364

European IWT Platform

As an executive body of EBU and ESO, the European IWT platform aims at a stronger positioning of Inland Navigation in European and national transport policies by an intensified contribution to various governing bodies, working parties and standard setting committees like CESNI and ADN.
www.inlandwaterwaytransport.eu

Inland Navigation Week

Inland Navigation Week 2023 an annual event that aims to promote and raise awareness about the potential of Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) in Europe. The event features a series of insightful and thought-provoking sessions that showcase solutions and best practices that promote sustainable transport, reduce CO₂ emissions, and enhance the competitiveness of IWT.
https://www.inlandwaterwaytransport.eu/inland-navigation-week-2023/