Roadmap and actions towards zero-emission Danube fleet
On 8 October 2024, the Danube Commission and EUSDR PA1a organized a Joint Workshop on ‘Roadmap and actions towards zero-emission Danube fleet’. The meeting was attended by almost 100 participants and brought together Danube fleet operators and representatives of all Danube States on the level of navigation authorities and other organizational units tasked with the decarbonization of the Danube fleet. The participants discussed the prospects of a joint strategy and roadmap for decarbonizing the Danube inland navigation fleet.
Representatives from the EC DG/MOVE and DG/GROW presented the regulatory framework for decarbonizing Inland Navigation (CO2 Emission reduction requirements) and the status of technical provisions for close-to-zero emission solutions in inland navigation, including the implementation of Renewable Energy Directive (RED III).
The technical provisions for close-to-zero emission vessel technologies and best practice projects in Western Europe were brought to the attention of the participants. Possible technical solutions were discussed, including assessments of their relevance to achieve the EU emission targets based on the Danube fleet composition and operational profile, with a focus on biofuels.
The barge operators present at the event gave insights on how they intend to deal with the CO2 emission as part of fleet investment (renewal and retrofitting). The specific fleet characteristics and the related operational profiles were among the highlighted factors contributing to the current technical solutions from the viewpoint of technical readiness and prospects of business cases. Special attention was paid to the use of HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) as an economically prospective short-term and mid-term solution to reduce CO2 emissions from vessel operations significantly, especially for those vessels which require high engine power and operate on long distances such as pushed convoys.
The issue of decarbonization of the Danube navigation will continue to be part of the work of the Danube Commission to elaborate a strategy and a roadmap for decarbonization of the Danube fleet which is in line with the economic realities of the Danube navigations sector and the polices of the DC member states. As import major milestone on the way to such a roadmap, a follow-up workshop will be organized by DC and its partners on May 12, 2025.
Presentations:
- Alan Lewis SFC – Expectations, requirements and actions from shippers towards transport decarbonization Implications for Inland Navigation
- Antigona Mironescu OMV – Sustainable bunkering on the DanubeMarine Gasoil ECO20
- Balázs Hlavacska – DDSG Mahart
- Benjamin Friedhoff DST – Overview of technically available promising zero-emission solutions for European inland navigation
- Domokos Iványi DC – Fleet data of the Danube states
- Gert-Jan Muilerman viadonau – Roadmap and actions towards zero-emission Danube fleet
- Krisztián Uhlik DG Grow – Type approval of inland waterway vessel engines – Fuels
- Milica Nikolic Aristoi – Decarbonizing the Danube Fleet Strategies and Solutions
- Muhammed Elemenler DG MOVE – Regulatory framework for decarbonisation of Inland Navigation
- Pjotr Suvorov DC – Status of the DC Strategy and the Roadmap
- Raphael Wisselmann CCNR – Regulatory framework for decarbonisation of inland navigation
- Arthur Romano, Vitol – bioLNG bunkering
- Martin Quispel, PLATINA4 – RED-III and ETS2 implementation