Experts discussed topics that are at the top of the agenda for Danube ports

The fourth Expert Meeting on the development of ports and port operations (EM Ports) was organized by the Danube Commission (DC) on 12 March 2024. The meeting, chaired by Mr. Vuk Perovic, Director of Port Governance Agency, Republic of Serbia, took place in hybrid format and brought together over 70 participants from Danube states, international organisations and Western Europe  for a structured dialogue.

In the first information block, which focused on the policy framework for Danube ports, Ms Wolska, Senior Policy Officer of EC/DG MOVE, updated on main elements of EU inland waterway transport policy, including the NAIADES III study on the sustainable management of inland ports, which was later presented by the project coordinator, Mr Smit of ECORYS, while Mr Fiorito reflected on current and future EU policy initiatives from the perspective of his organisation, the European Federation of Inland Ports (FEPI). Presentations on the work on the Danube Solidarity Lane, which facilitates Ukraine’s cargo flows using the Danube, and an update on the DC’s Danube ports database rounded off this part.

The second information block addressed the implementation of climate goals and energy transition measures with presentations on realistic expectations of alternative fuels for Danube vessels, the project initiative for Green Ports in Serbia and the progress of the EU funded RTD project PIONEERS with its pilot implementation in the port of Constanta.

The third part of the meeting focused on Port Community Systems (PCS) as central instrument for the digitalization of port operations and delivered good practices from the Ports of Switzerland, the Portuguese sea-and river ports and looked into the steps taken by the Port Administration of Constanta to prepare for a PCS. The work of the EU funded RTD project MultiRELOAD as well as the DC initiative to transform the Danube Solidarity Lane into the first fully digital transport corridor between EU and Ukraine were also presented.

The fourth part of the meeting dealt with relevant cooperation activities with presentations of the work of the Transport Community (TCT Belgrade) to improve inland navigation in the Western Balkans and upcoming major inland navigation events (Danube Business Talks on 15 May in Vienna and Danube Ports Days on 29 and 30 October in Budapest). In addition, the audience was informed about a special workshop organised jointly by DC, ISRBC, TCT and DG MOVE with the Port of Brčko (BiH) which is planned to take place end of September.  At the end, DC presented an update on the progress of the “Joint Statement on the Decarbonisation of Danube Ports”  and invited port authorities and port companies to join this initiative.

The next official expert meeting of Danube ports is scheduled for 26 March 2025.

Agenda and all presentations delivered in the meeting can be downloaded:

• Manfred Seitz & Dejan Trifunović, DC Secretariat – Reference to discussion paper WD 2.1
• Marta Wolska, Policy Officer,EC/DG MOVE/D3 – Ongoing or forthcoming IWT and port policy activities of the European Commission
• Turi Fiorito, Director, EFIP – Reflections of EFIP on port policy issues
• Geert Smit, Project Manager, Ecorys – Study on Enabling Sustainable Management and Development of inland ports
• Antonio Stoean,Senior Logistics Expert, DC Secretariat – EU – Ukraine Solidarity Lanes / Update on freight flows on the Danube
• Dejan Trifunović, DC Secretariat- Progress regarding the implementation of the DC Danube Ports database
• Christian Stangl-Brachnik, BMK-Austria – Realistic expectations for the use of alternative fuels on the Danube in Austria
• Bernhard Bieringer, Senior Consultant, Kanzlei Anzböck – Major challenges for the use of alternative fuels on the Danube – case of HVO 100
• Srdja Lješević, Head of Center for Port Operations of PGA – Green ports Serbia, project initiative
• Inge De Wolf, Port of Antwerp and Adina Stefan, Port of Constanta – Progress of the PIONEERS project (update on project implementation)
• Florian Röthlingshöfer, Director, Port of Switzerland – RPIS – Rhine Ports Information System
• Jan Tore Pedersen, MARLO Norway and João Graça, Marlo Portugal – JUL – PCS project for sea and river ports in Portugal
• Silvia Dopler, University of Applied Sciences of Upper Austria – MultiRELOAD project- Results of the study on modal shift to Danube freight shipping
• Sorin Horovei, IT Department, Port of Constanta – Port Constanta – development and implementation of a Port Community System (PCS)
• Elson Thana, TCT Permanent Secretariat – The Role of the TCT Permanent Secretariat in improving Inland Navigation in the region
• Christian Stangl-Brachnik, BMK-Austria – Danube Business Talks 2024 – Announcement of the event
• Robert Rafael, General Secretary, PDI – Danube Ports Days 2024 – Announcement of the event
• Manfred Seitz & Dejan Trifunović, DC Secretariat – Progress of the “Joint Statement of the Danube Port Authorities and Ports Stakeholders
• Manfred Seitz, DC Secretariat – Next Steps & Closure of the meeting