Action Field: Markets & Awareness

• New markets: Two analyses took place: 'Comparison of existing modal shift studies' and 'Comparison of continental market potential', which were presented and discussed during the NAIADES Dialogue meeting in Strasbourg in December 2014. The freight flow analyses and door-to-door cost comparisons point towards a short term potential of at least 37 million tonnes of continental cargo to be shifted to container barges via existing container terminals along the TEN-T core network corridors in Europe. In 2015, a 'Market Transfer Condition Analysis' will be carried out, incl. regional meetings with the industry, followed by a 'Market Transfer Plan' in autumn.
• Decision support tools: The European funding database is continuously updated.
• Market mechanisms and transparency: The market transparency study is almost ready and confirms the fragmentation within the sector in Western Europe. At the NAIADES Dialogue meeting in Strasbourg, PLATINA 2 presented the first strategies to strengthen cooperation within the sector in order to achieve larger market shares. An analysis of market organisation for continental logistics chains is planned in 2015.

Action Field: Innovation & Fleet

• Tools for innovation uptake: A beta release of the Greening Tool has been developed to offer vessel operators, policy makers or other stakeholders state-of-the-art information about the different retrofit greening technologies currently available. Try it out and send us your feedback to help enhance the tool and make it more user-friendly. The Greening Tool will be officially launced in spring.
• Knowledge base: An expert workshop will take place in 2015 to improve the quality of the datasets for external cost calculation, followed by a report providing the analyses and recommendations on the next steps to improve those datasets.
• Innovation agenda: The process to get input from stakeholders is under preparation. Innovation Platform meetings are planned in spring 2015 to discuss priority of research and ways to support the deployment of innovation. The PLATINA 2 approach and planned next steps to facilitate innovation were presented at the NAIADES Dialogue meeting in Strasbourg. A Research and Innovation Roadmap will be presented in September 2015.

For more information, contact Henk-Erik Sierink

Action Field: Qualifications

• Simulator use : The 'Functionalities of an IWT ship handling simulator' defined by the CCNR are being analysed to identify their relevance to support or even replace practical exams. As a next step, research on technical requirements for full mission inland ship handling simulators will be conducted. Interviews with stakeholders have been finalised in the first quarter 2015. First results are expected in May 2015. A final roadmap will be delivered end of 2015.
• Electronic Service Books: Possible approaches towards a future European electronic service record book and vessels logbook have been presented at the NAIADES Dialogue meeting in Strasbourg. In general, the industry supports the introduction of digital tools as support for the creation of a level-playing field. A final concept will be presented in spring 2015.
• Learning material for logistics decision makers: An improved and extended database providing education and training materials for the introduction of inland waterway transport into transport logistics supporting future logistic decision makers is now available. In the course of 2015, interactive workshops will be held in logistic schools on the advantages of integrating waterway transport in the logistics transport chain, with a view to promote the uptake of the learning material in the school curricula permanently.

Action Field: Infrastructure

• Intermodality: Expert information on inland waterway transport and ports has been provided to European corridor coordinators and corridor consultants. A detailed review of the corridor progress reports has been presented in November 2014 to assist the European Commission. Furthermore, data gaps on European IWT infrastructure are being analysed and ways to link River Information Services to the European Commission's TENtec system investigated. 
• River Information Services: The RIS portal is being maintained and secretarial support was provided to the RIS expert groups. The use of RIS for logistics will be analysed in spring 2015, involving the input of logistics users. Possible future RIS will be identified by end 2015 in cooperation with authorities and logistics users.
• Good practices in waterway maintenance: A pan-European group with experts from 8 countries and 2 river commissions discusses experiences on efficient waterway maintenance. During the NAIADES Dialogue in Strasbourg, participants provided input on the expert group approach as well as content for the forthcoming expert discussions. The next expert group workshop is planned for March 2015. As outcome, a Good Practice Manual, issued in spring 2016, will provide waterway administrations with practical recommendations for improving regular maintenance tasks.   

For more information, contact Gudrun Maierbrugger