Funded by the Horizon Europe programme, the 3-year long FOREMAST project will address the urgent need for sustainable transport solutions in urban and coastal areas, with the aim to create a paradigm shift towards cleaner and more efficient logistics. The Small, Flexible Automated, Zero-emission (SFAZ) vessel, to be developed within the project, will allow the sustainable transport of goods along inland waterways, reducing road congestion, lowering emissions and improving overall accessibility.

Inland Waterways

The roadmap for transitioning to zero-emission transport and logistics in Europe promotes the higher use of waterborne transport, specifically Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) and coastal shipping, to shift goods from road to water. The use of IWT offers more environmentally attractive options, particularly, in congested areas like cities. Vessel size is crucial in waterborne transport as larger vessels may carry more goods, thereby increasing efficiency, however, the size impacts the navigability of waterways, and smaller vessels may be necessary for shallow waterways or those with low bridges as is the case in urban environments.

Vision

FOREMAST is fully committed to sustainability, aiming to create a cleaner, smarter, and more efficient transportation system. FOREMAST will facilitate the movement of goods in urban and coastal areas by creating the SFAZ vessel that enables the efficient, safe, and sustainable transportation of cargo shift to inland waterways. The SFAZ vessels will seamlessly integrate to urban environments, connected infrastructures, supply chains and other modes, reducing road congestion, and enhancing accessibility.

Main objectives

• To examine the techno economic aspects of SFAZ vessels in smart, competitive and green transport systems.
• To undertake focused research in SFAZ design and solution components in line with vessels research
• To test and demonstrate the SFAZ vessel concept in the FOREMAST Living Labs
• To accelerate the wider deployment of SFAZ vessels