On Wednesday, 2 July 2025 in Brussels, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) hosted the Joint Final Event on Resilient Transport Infrastructure for Inland Waterways, bringing together key stakeholders to highlight the outcomes of three Horizon Europe projects: ReNEW, CRISTAL, and PLOTO. These projects have worked collaboratively to develop innovative solutions that strengthen the climate resilience and sustainability of Europe’s inland waterway infrastructure.
The event served as a platform for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and the presentation of cutting-edge research results aimed at supporting the EU’s broader goals for zero-emission and climate-adaptive transport systems. Participants included representatives from research institutions, industry, and policy bodies, all engaged in shaping the future of inland waterway transport (IWT) in the face of increasing climate-related challenges.
The ReNEW project was strongly represented throughout the day. Zisis Palaskas and George Sarigiannis of INLECOM kicked off the event by presenting ReNEW’s objectives, pilot activities, and key results. Their presentation set the stage for discussions on how innovative tools and strategies can transform inland waterway infrastructure. During a panel focused on infrastructure resilience, Antoon Van Coillie from ZULU Associates, Ghazaleh Kia, PhD, from SEAFAR, and Arnaud Burgess from Panteia shared perspectives on emerging technologies and operational models that support resilient and adaptive transport systems.
In the afternoon’s co-creation workshop, Joana Dias of Magellan Circle, Lars Andreas Lien Wennersberg from SINTEF Ocean, and Dr. Sorina Pacuraru from Universitatea „Dunărea de Jos” din Galați presented ReNEW’s Key Exploitable Results. This session encouraged open dialogue with stakeholders on how to translate research outcomes into tangible benefits for the inland waterway sector.
The ReNEW consortium represented by the project coordinator European IWT Platform, expressed its gratitude to CINEA and particularly to Project Officer Andrea Superti for organising and facilitating the event. The collaborative spirit and shared commitment displayed during the day emphasized the importance of joint action in ensuring a smarter, more sustainable transport future for Europe’s inland waterways.
