Periodic Reporting for period 2 - LASTING (LET'S GO FOR WATERBORNE TRANSPORT RESEARCH - BROADENING ENGAGEMENT AND INCREASING IMPACT)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-07-01 bis 2024-06-30
The waterborne transport sector is responsible for carrying 90% of the international trade, 81% of EU’s external trade and 34% of EU’s internal trade.
Following international and European policies to decarbonise waterborne transport, the sector became aware of the urgent need to increase RD&I activities to be able to comply with the commitment to transform to a zero-emission mode of trasnport.
Due to the specificities of the waterborne transport sector, there is an urgent need to raise awareness on RD&I activities for and by the European waterborne transport sector. The goal of LASTING is to broaden the engagement of the entire waterborne transport sector in RD&I activities by developing a communication strategy and implementing a communication campaign during and beyond the lifetime of this project.
The challenges addressed by LASTING will stimulate the development of technological solutions to contribute to decreasing the current societal challenges.
Following international and European policies to decarbonise waterborne transport, the sector became aware of the urgent need to increase RD&I activities to be able to comply with the commitment to transform to a zero-emission mode of trasnport.
Due to the specificities of the waterborne transport sector, there is an urgent need to raise awareness on RD&I activities for and by the European waterborne transport sector. The goal of LASTING is to broaden the engagement of the entire waterborne transport sector in RD&I activities by developing a communication strategy and implementing a communication campaign during and beyond the lifetime of this project.
The challenges addressed by LASTING will stimulate the development of technological solutions to contribute to decreasing the current societal challenges.
The LASTING project fully achieved its main objectives, as described in the DoA, notably:
1. To develop a communication strategy for European waterborne transport RD&I projects to enhance their impact. This strategy is a so-called playbook, which is available on the website of the project (integrated in the website of the Waterborne Technology Platform);
2. To identify information gaps concerning innovation needs, awareness of outcomes and opportunities for participation at European waterborne transport partners who do not or hardly participate in RD&I projects, leading to 25% new potential research partners from the waterborne transport sector. In WP1, different deliverables have been delivered, which assess the information gaps concerning innovation needs; which map, understand, analyse and evaluate the research managed and information systems (e.g. CORIDS, TRIMIS, EIBIP, etc) used by waterborne transport stakeholders and; mapping and analysing RD&I funding opportunities at the European level for the waterborne transport stakeholders. These exercices not only laid the foundations for the communication strategy and campaign, but provided input to the development of the "Ship Financing Portal" as recently published by DG MOVE of the European Commission;
3. To build a stakeholder community of 20 strategic partners from the European waterborne transport sector. LASTING was able to build a stakeholder community of several strategic partners, which was formalised by the signature of an MoU in the framework of the Waterborne Days 2023. This stakeholder community is part of the legacy of LASTING, and the community is open for any new member to join
4. To test the communication strategy and campaign at 3 large European waterborne transport events. In the second reporting period, the highlight was the Waterborne Days 2023, based on the plug-an-play concept developed by LASTING, laying the foundations for a biennial event. Furthermore, LASTING participated to the SMM 2022, as well as the TRA editions 2022 and 2024, besides numerous national and regional events. The plug-and-play concept developed by LASTING will lay the foundations for future events.
5. To deliver the final product to Waterborne TP to take up the communication strategy and campaign after the completion of LASTING. The final Plan for Exploitation and Dissemination of Results was delivered at the end of the project, and all results of the LASTING project integrated on the project website. Furthermore, in terms of social media campaigns, events, and other outreach activities, the waterborne community is making use of the materials, playbook and plug-and-play concept as developed by LASTING.
1. To develop a communication strategy for European waterborne transport RD&I projects to enhance their impact. This strategy is a so-called playbook, which is available on the website of the project (integrated in the website of the Waterborne Technology Platform);
2. To identify information gaps concerning innovation needs, awareness of outcomes and opportunities for participation at European waterborne transport partners who do not or hardly participate in RD&I projects, leading to 25% new potential research partners from the waterborne transport sector. In WP1, different deliverables have been delivered, which assess the information gaps concerning innovation needs; which map, understand, analyse and evaluate the research managed and information systems (e.g. CORIDS, TRIMIS, EIBIP, etc) used by waterborne transport stakeholders and; mapping and analysing RD&I funding opportunities at the European level for the waterborne transport stakeholders. These exercices not only laid the foundations for the communication strategy and campaign, but provided input to the development of the "Ship Financing Portal" as recently published by DG MOVE of the European Commission;
3. To build a stakeholder community of 20 strategic partners from the European waterborne transport sector. LASTING was able to build a stakeholder community of several strategic partners, which was formalised by the signature of an MoU in the framework of the Waterborne Days 2023. This stakeholder community is part of the legacy of LASTING, and the community is open for any new member to join
4. To test the communication strategy and campaign at 3 large European waterborne transport events. In the second reporting period, the highlight was the Waterborne Days 2023, based on the plug-an-play concept developed by LASTING, laying the foundations for a biennial event. Furthermore, LASTING participated to the SMM 2022, as well as the TRA editions 2022 and 2024, besides numerous national and regional events. The plug-and-play concept developed by LASTING will lay the foundations for future events.
5. To deliver the final product to Waterborne TP to take up the communication strategy and campaign after the completion of LASTING. The final Plan for Exploitation and Dissemination of Results was delivered at the end of the project, and all results of the LASTING project integrated on the project website. Furthermore, in terms of social media campaigns, events, and other outreach activities, the waterborne community is making use of the materials, playbook and plug-and-play concept as developed by LASTING.
The WP1 deliverables are an unique set of documents addressing the information gaps and needs concerning the RD&I activities of and for the waterborne transport sector. D1.1 gives an in-depth analysis of the RD&I information gaps of all the main European waterborne transport stakeholders. It investigates the RD&I needs for each main stakeholder category and looks at the interrelationships between them. Furthermore, supported by a validation check from stakeholder interviews, it provides solutions on how these issues can be solved. D1.2 is perhaps the largest Research Information Management System study for the European waterborne transport stakeholders. This analysis shows their strengths and weaknesses, and proposes solutions either for their improvements or for the creation of a better RIMS. In addition, it gives a broad analysis of the waterborne transport RD&I projects undertaken in the last decade, to show how the project-related information can be improved. D1.3 should be the best analysis on the EU RD&I opportunities for waterborne transport stakeholders. It covers the current MFF (2021-2027) but also looks beyond it, e.g. Innovation Fund. It presents in detail the main options relevant for the waterborne transport and indicates which funding mechanisms are more suitable per stakeholder category and type of RD&I activity. The topic of barriers identification and mitigation in engaging in RD&I activities is also presented in detail. D1.4 Gap Analysis recommendations provides a refined overview of the more detailed information from the previous three deliverables and streamlines the information for its use in the project.
WP2 creates the project strategic approach and its Creative Concept. The latter is a novel ‘plug-and-play’ system for the organization of and participation in all main types of events, one of the main tools for the optimal engagement with stakeholders. Two other deliverables, D2.3 Intermediate PEDR and D2.4 Final PEDR, will adapt the project dissemination and exploitations strategy based on the lessons learned throughout the project lifetime.
WP3 has also finalized its content-related deliverables. The progress now lies with the use of the communication messages and tools in reaching out to the waterborne transport stakeholders. A number of communication activities are already planned, and the list will be constantly updated: social media campaigns and the Waterborne Days 2025.
All WP4 deliverables had been finalized.
WP5 has also submitted all its deliverables.
WP2 creates the project strategic approach and its Creative Concept. The latter is a novel ‘plug-and-play’ system for the organization of and participation in all main types of events, one of the main tools for the optimal engagement with stakeholders. Two other deliverables, D2.3 Intermediate PEDR and D2.4 Final PEDR, will adapt the project dissemination and exploitations strategy based on the lessons learned throughout the project lifetime.
WP3 has also finalized its content-related deliverables. The progress now lies with the use of the communication messages and tools in reaching out to the waterborne transport stakeholders. A number of communication activities are already planned, and the list will be constantly updated: social media campaigns and the Waterborne Days 2025.
All WP4 deliverables had been finalized.
WP5 has also submitted all its deliverables.