First Stage Event of Platina4ACTION project 6 November Brussels
The first Stage Event of the Platina4Action project took place on 6th of November 2024 in Brussels and online. It was organized by the European IWT Platform in cooperation with the PLATINA4Action partners back-to-back with the SYNERGETICS conference (5 November) and NAIADES Implementation Expert Group meeting (7 November). The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to discuss updated policy priorities in terms of the Inland Waterway Transport (IWT), to evaluate innovative zero-emission solutions, and to provide an in-depth overview of PLATINA4Action topics through the dedicated thematic sessions.
Two panel discussions were organized in the framework of this Stage Event.
The first panel focused on the EU Transport Agenda and policy priorities for IWT, in light of the priorities set by the new European Commission and Parliament. The main purpose of the panel was to examine the critical components necessary for the future success of the IWT sector and to showcase diverse perspectives and solutions from different stakeholders. The Director General of the Danube Commission took part in this panel together with the representatives of the EC—DG MOVE, the associations and partnerships promoting IWT, and the customers of the sector.
The Director General of the Danube Commission, which is partner in the Platina4 consortium, addressed the key challenges of the sector and the most promising perspectives for the modernization of the Danube fleet. He provided a specific overview on the requirements and possibilities for fleet greening in the Danube region in accordance with the European Green Deal and NAIADES III Action Plan, emphasizing that the greening of the fleet is rather a political issue than a technological one. Therefore, feasible economic framework conditions are needed to create business cases. The perspectives of the application of HVO in the Danube Region were specified, in particular, for push-convoys with huge energy demand and long travel distances.
The second panel touched upon the roll-out of zero-emission solutions for IWT and focused on the available technologies and peculiarities of their application depending on types of vessels, fleet families, operational profiles, etc. The panel triggered the discussion on the promising technologies for IWT, funding opportunities, and criteria for their application. Discussion focused not only on newly built vessels but also dedicated attention to the retrofitting of the existing fleet.
Other topics were presented during the Stage Event by the project partners in the several thematic sessions related to the evaluation and development of European IWT Policy, developing a comprehensive labelling system for inland vessels on European waterways, crafting a comprehensive RD&I roadmap for IWT, and paving the way for roll-out of zero-emission solutions for IWT.
The recordings and presentations from the PLATINA4Action 1st Stage Event held are now available on the Platina4Action project website: https://platina4action.iwtprojects.eu/events/
The next Stage Event will be organized by the Danube Commission in Budapest in November 2025, preceded by the 4th Technology Transfer Workshop, also organized by the Danube Commission in October 2025.
Additional information about the project:
The EU-funded PLATINA4Action project aims to promote inland waterway transport (IWT) in Europe through targeted coordination and support activities. Starting in January 2024, the project will run for 36 months, concluding at the end of 2026. PLATINA4Action bridges the gap between current IWT research and future innovation needs. It focuses on deploying green and connected inland waterway transport soon, evaluates NAIADES III, and prepares a policy agenda.
The platform acts as a catalyst, uniting expertise, stakeholders, and research in European Inland Waterway Transport. It builds on the network and knowledge developed in the PLATINA3 project, funded under Horizon 2020.
Three Stage Events are designed as tools for interaction and consultation with EU Member States and non-EU (CH, UA, MD, SR) and their relevant national public administrations, as well as IWT industry representatives and social dialogue partners. Each event will consist of a series of well-designed thematic sessions focusing on the progress of the PLATINA4Action project.
For more information follow the links:
https://platina4action.iwtprojects.eu/
https://www.danubecommission.org/dc/en/platina4action/
