WATERBORNE TP is an industry-oriented Technology Platform to establish a continuous dialogue between all waterborne stakeholders, such as classification societies, shipbuilders, shipowners, maritime equipment manufacturers, infrastructure and service providers, universities or research institutes, and with the EU Institutions, including Member States. CEMT is represented on Waterborne TP by KORAB (Poland) and HIMT (Greece).
43 European transport organisations, representing the key spectrum of Europe’s transport network, are again joining forces in a campaign to urge the Council and the European Parliament to increase the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) budget for transport in the upcoming review of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework.
The transport sector is of strategic importance in responding to Europe’s geostrategic, environmental and capacity challenges. Recent and ongoing crises have proven once again that only with a strong, adaptable and innovative transport sector at its core, Europe will be able to respond effectively to massive disruptions and safeguard its supply chain sovereignty. If Europe is to strengthen its resilience, lead the shift to net-zero and finally complete the Trans-European Transport Network, it must translate its words into deeds and reflect these ambitions in the new EU budget for transport.
The massive oversubscriptions of the current CEF transport budget underline once again that the ambitions and challenges of the transport sector are high, yet they are not met with the necessary EU support. The take-away for European leaders and policymakers should be clear: this is the moment for Europe to reverse the trend of continued underfunding of the transport sector and set the bar high. A strong CEF instrument for transport is the best guarantee to deliver high added value, foster a level playing field across Europe and enable no regret investments.
Eero Lehtovaara, Chair of the Board of Directors, Waterborne TP, said: “This joint campaign signed by 43 transport Associations showcases the strength of cooperation between the different segments of the sector, and the commitments to the green and digital transition. However, it also clearly indicates the vulnerability of the current budgetary situation. The transition to a zero-emission, digital, automated, safe and competitive sector requires massive investments today and tomorrow, to ensure we meet the policy objectives. This can only be achieved by sufficient financial support to proceed with high capital, high risk investments, supporting the competitiveness of the sector. Only by sufficient funding for research, development, innovation, and the deployment of innovations by means of CEF, we are able to achieve the targets in a sustainable and competitive way.”
Waterborne Technology Platform met with representatives of the Polish waterborne transport sector, to discuss the need for cooperation on RD&I concerning zero-emission, safe, digital and competitive waterborne transport
Cooperation is key to achieve the objectives of a competitive, safe, digital and zero-emission waterborne transport sector. Bringing together the experience and expertise from different European countries and aligning the research needs is thereby of utmost importance. This was one of the main conclusions of the meeting between the Waterborne Technology Platform (TP) and the Polish representatives of the waterborne transport sector in Gdansk on 26 March 2024.
The Waterborne Technology Platform (TP) is the European research and innovation platform for the waterborne industries, providing policy guidance to the European institutions regarding research, development and innovation, as well as the deployment of these innovations.
The discussions are of particular importance for the Partnership on Zero-Emission Waterborne Transport, a co-operation between the European Commission and the Waterborne Technology Platform. This Partnership aims to develop and demonstrate zero-emission solutions for all main ship types and services before 2030. The European Commission has committed to investing up to EUR 530 million from Horizon Europe towards the Partnership, and the industry has committed to over EUR three billion of investments for the period 2021 – 2030.
Eero Lehtovaara, Chair of the Board of Directors, Waterborne TP, said: “Our meeting with the representatives of the Polish waterborne transport sector provided insights in the opportunities and challenges of this EU member state with significant importance and potential in the sector. Whereas there are numerous opportunities for the Polish waterborne transport sector in the transition towards competitive, safe, digital, and zero-emission waterborne transport, further efforts in including Polish organisations in European activities should be strengthened.”
Marek Narewski, Rules Development Department Principal Specialist, Polish Register of Shipping, added: “Collaboration between researchers and industry representatives will not only be fundamental regarding RD&I for societal challenges. In addition, it will benefit the current students, which will become the future workforce of the sector, getting acquainted with new technologies and concepts. Therefore, further structured cooperation between academia and the industry will be key for the future of the sector”.