Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PLATINA3 (Platform for the implementation of a future inland navigation action programme)
Período documentado: 2022-07-01 hasta 2023-06-30
Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) brings major benefits for society. It is a safe and energy efficient transport mode with high network capacity to accomodate growth of transport of goods and passengers. As a result of these opportunities, EU policy promotes the use of IWT with the NAIADES III Action Plan.
The potential for growth is significant but there is also work to be done. IWT needs to reduce her climate change (CO2) and air pollutant emissions (NOx, PM) and needs to benefit from digitalisation and automation. And barriers for shifting cargo and passenger transports from road to inland waterways need to be removed to unlock the benefits from modal shift. At the same time the climate change impacts cause challenges for IWT due to increasing low water situations and floods, which negatively affects reliability and cost of IWT. Therefore attention is needed on solutions to deal with these increasing extreme weather conditions caused by global warming.
European funded project PLATINA3 provided targeted coordination and support activities to promote Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) in Europe. The project started in January 2021 and ended in June 2023. Results of PLATINA3 aim primarily on policy makers and making the bridge towards future research, innovation and implementation needs within IWT in Europe. A key objective was providing the knowledge base for the implementation of the EU Green Deal in view of further development of EC`s IWT action programme (NAIADES III) towards 2030. PLATINA3 addressed the following priority topics:
1) integration & digitalisation of IWT in view of modal shift & synchromodality
2) zero-emission, automated & climate resilient fleet
3) skilled workforce anticipating to zero-emission & automation
4) smart & climate resilient waterway and port infrastructure with clean energy hubs.
The potential for growth is significant but there is also work to be done. IWT needs to reduce her climate change (CO2) and air pollutant emissions (NOx, PM) and needs to benefit from digitalisation and automation. And barriers for shifting cargo and passenger transports from road to inland waterways need to be removed to unlock the benefits from modal shift. At the same time the climate change impacts cause challenges for IWT due to increasing low water situations and floods, which negatively affects reliability and cost of IWT. Therefore attention is needed on solutions to deal with these increasing extreme weather conditions caused by global warming.
European funded project PLATINA3 provided targeted coordination and support activities to promote Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) in Europe. The project started in January 2021 and ended in June 2023. Results of PLATINA3 aim primarily on policy makers and making the bridge towards future research, innovation and implementation needs within IWT in Europe. A key objective was providing the knowledge base for the implementation of the EU Green Deal in view of further development of EC`s IWT action programme (NAIADES III) towards 2030. PLATINA3 addressed the following priority topics:
1) integration & digitalisation of IWT in view of modal shift & synchromodality
2) zero-emission, automated & climate resilient fleet
3) skilled workforce anticipating to zero-emission & automation
4) smart & climate resilient waterway and port infrastructure with clean energy hubs.
PLATINA3 results for the theme “Market” do address the question on how to shift more transport from road to the inland waterways? Research and discussions took place looking at different elements which affect the options for modal shift. This concerns a.o. load units for cargo and transhipment as well as awareness among shippers, the digital integration in supply chains and the economic barriers. As a final step policy recommendations were made based on the research and discussions which took place.
Work on theme "Fleet" did address the questions how to develop a fleet which performs at low/zero-emission, can cope with extreme water levels and what is needed in terms of financial support and technical regulations? A report was made about the options for vessels to better deal with the low water conditions, with specific good practices. Furthermore, an extensive analysis was made on the status of financial instruments, the required funding support and next steps needed to provide a proper framework for financing the deployment of clean technologies and fuels. Another report was made on options for labelling or indexing vessels to express their environmental performance, including a roadmap. A report was also made on the vessel databases and how to improve quality and quantity of vessel information by linking existing databases and adding new attributes to vessel identification. In the last phase of the project policy recommendations were made for improved and extended regulations to address gaps in the current legal framework for emission reduction. A separate report was made with recommendations for the RD&I agenda for fleet topics.
The theme “Jobs and Skills” focussed on the human resources and specifically on the competences for staff to work with automated vessels and to work with new technologies and fuels in view of the energy transition of IWT. Reports have been made on the required competences and discussions took place at PLATINA3 Stage events. As a final result recommendations were made to CESNI for the implementation of the recommendations regarding the required (new) competences which were well received.
The theme “Infrastructure” focussed on several topics. A report was made for the climate adaptation strategy while another report focussed on the recommendations for developing the required energy infrastructure for IWT along waterways and in ports. A third report addressed digitalisation in waterway management and communication. The fourth report for the theme addressed the question of barriers for infrastructure development and policy recommendations on how to overcome them.
The activity “Roadmap and stakeholder engagement” brought results together from the above mentioned themes. Content was consolidated and further developed into roadmaps for RD&I and policy initiatives. This activity is very relevant for exploitation and dissemination. Stakeholder engagement is organised and as part of this activity, 6 Stage Events were organised with a final event in March in Brussels with high level participation. All presentations, minutes and video registrations of the Stage Events are made available on www.platina3.eu.
Furthermore, a fruitful cooperation was established with the NAIADES III Implementation Expert group to monitor the implementation of the 35 actions from the NAIADES III Action plan. For each meeting of the Expert Group the roadmap report was updated, presented and discussed at the meeting, while raising attention for risks or gaps in terms of the implementation progress. Moreover, an extensive group of stakeholders and related EU projects (e.g. H2020, CEF projects) was contacted and engaged in the PLATINA3 community. In addition, a valuable Advisory Board was set-up to provide technical inputs and feedback.
The Project management & dissemination activity resulted in manuals for the PLATINA3 partners, clear guidelines, document sharing platforms and a well functioning website and LinkedIn channel for external communication and dissemination.
Work on theme "Fleet" did address the questions how to develop a fleet which performs at low/zero-emission, can cope with extreme water levels and what is needed in terms of financial support and technical regulations? A report was made about the options for vessels to better deal with the low water conditions, with specific good practices. Furthermore, an extensive analysis was made on the status of financial instruments, the required funding support and next steps needed to provide a proper framework for financing the deployment of clean technologies and fuels. Another report was made on options for labelling or indexing vessels to express their environmental performance, including a roadmap. A report was also made on the vessel databases and how to improve quality and quantity of vessel information by linking existing databases and adding new attributes to vessel identification. In the last phase of the project policy recommendations were made for improved and extended regulations to address gaps in the current legal framework for emission reduction. A separate report was made with recommendations for the RD&I agenda for fleet topics.
The theme “Jobs and Skills” focussed on the human resources and specifically on the competences for staff to work with automated vessels and to work with new technologies and fuels in view of the energy transition of IWT. Reports have been made on the required competences and discussions took place at PLATINA3 Stage events. As a final result recommendations were made to CESNI for the implementation of the recommendations regarding the required (new) competences which were well received.
The theme “Infrastructure” focussed on several topics. A report was made for the climate adaptation strategy while another report focussed on the recommendations for developing the required energy infrastructure for IWT along waterways and in ports. A third report addressed digitalisation in waterway management and communication. The fourth report for the theme addressed the question of barriers for infrastructure development and policy recommendations on how to overcome them.
The activity “Roadmap and stakeholder engagement” brought results together from the above mentioned themes. Content was consolidated and further developed into roadmaps for RD&I and policy initiatives. This activity is very relevant for exploitation and dissemination. Stakeholder engagement is organised and as part of this activity, 6 Stage Events were organised with a final event in March in Brussels with high level participation. All presentations, minutes and video registrations of the Stage Events are made available on www.platina3.eu.
Furthermore, a fruitful cooperation was established with the NAIADES III Implementation Expert group to monitor the implementation of the 35 actions from the NAIADES III Action plan. For each meeting of the Expert Group the roadmap report was updated, presented and discussed at the meeting, while raising attention for risks or gaps in terms of the implementation progress. Moreover, an extensive group of stakeholders and related EU projects (e.g. H2020, CEF projects) was contacted and engaged in the PLATINA3 community. In addition, a valuable Advisory Board was set-up to provide technical inputs and feedback.
The Project management & dissemination activity resulted in manuals for the PLATINA3 partners, clear guidelines, document sharing platforms and a well functioning website and LinkedIn channel for external communication and dissemination.
PLATINA3 did contribute to a situation beyond the state-of-the-art by providing support for the implementation of the NAIADES 3 Action Plan. Key results which can be mentioned are the following:
- Policy roadmap for the further implementation of the NAIADES 3Action Plan
- RD&I agenda for IWT serving as input for Horizon Europe working programme for year 2025-2026-2027
- Deliverables with specific recommendations on unlocking modal shift potential, coping with climate change impacts on waterways, digitalisation as well as major attention to reduction of climate change and air pollutant emissions by IWT.
Clearly the delivered reports as well as the proceedings of Stage EVents provide new insights. They contribute to making IWT more competitive, robust and attractive to in view of the modal shift ambitions while in parallel meeting the emission reduction goals. By means of the project and the Stage Events, the European IWT policy community is broiught together and know-how exchange is strengthened, which is crucial seen the need for cross-border cooperation between countries along the TEN-T inland waterway network.
PLATINA3 therefore supported policy makers in preparing for policy decisions and provided guidance to the industry. PLATINA3 brought all relevant parties together and facilitated networking amongst stakeholders. By contributing to the NAIADES 3 Action Plan, PLATINA3 did indirectly contribute to a sustainable, environment friendly, efficient and safe European IWT sector which will have positive societal and economic impacts.
- Policy roadmap for the further implementation of the NAIADES 3Action Plan
- RD&I agenda for IWT serving as input for Horizon Europe working programme for year 2025-2026-2027
- Deliverables with specific recommendations on unlocking modal shift potential, coping with climate change impacts on waterways, digitalisation as well as major attention to reduction of climate change and air pollutant emissions by IWT.
Clearly the delivered reports as well as the proceedings of Stage EVents provide new insights. They contribute to making IWT more competitive, robust and attractive to in view of the modal shift ambitions while in parallel meeting the emission reduction goals. By means of the project and the Stage Events, the European IWT policy community is broiught together and know-how exchange is strengthened, which is crucial seen the need for cross-border cooperation between countries along the TEN-T inland waterway network.
PLATINA3 therefore supported policy makers in preparing for policy decisions and provided guidance to the industry. PLATINA3 brought all relevant parties together and facilitated networking amongst stakeholders. By contributing to the NAIADES 3 Action Plan, PLATINA3 did indirectly contribute to a sustainable, environment friendly, efficient and safe European IWT sector which will have positive societal and economic impacts.