Synergies for Green Transformation of Inland and Coastal Shipping

Inland and coastal shipping face great challenges with respect to a significant reduction of greenhouse-gas and air-pollutant emissions resulting from the requirements stipulated in the European Green Deal and the Taxonomy Regulation as well as the fact that improved environmental performance has become a feature of ever-increasing importance to the sector in order to remain competitive.

The existing fleet operating on European inland waterways and in the respective coastal areas displays a great potential for greening, which can be unlocked by proper means of retrofit. Currently, different undertakings with respect to greening in the shipping sector as well as other sectors have been carried out or are ongoing. However, the solutions are not brought together in order to facilitate a roll out on a large scale.

This is the starting point of SYNERGETICS! The project aims at bringing together the relevant knowledge from different sectors, in particular the waterborne one. This will be realized by creating synergies between the leading research institutions in the field of ship hydrodynamics and energy transition, innovation centres and shipping industry associations, shipbuilding industry, regulatory bodies, vessel owners, and technology providers, as well as between different European regions. The goal is the provision of a consistent catalogue of developed and ready to deploy retrofit solutions which would facilitate and accelerate the green transformation of inland vessels and coastal ships.

More information about the project can be found at the project website.