Danube Ports Days 2025, organised by Pro Danube, hosted by the Constanta Port, and supported by the EU-funded projects Innovation Action SYNERGETICS, PIONEERS Ports, Green Inland Ports, and the Danube Port Networks brought together policymakers, industry leaders and experts to discuss and evaluate innovative solutions aimed at achieving sustainability and digitalisation within inland ports and inland waterway transport.
On the first day, Benjamin Friedhoff, project coordinator of SYNERGETICS from DST, provided a presentation on the demonstrations performed and tools being developed within the scope of the project.
Martin Quispel of SYNERGETICS partner EICB presented the latest version of the prototype of the Decision Support Tool for shipowners/operators. This tool assists shipowners in selecting greening solutions for their existing vessels. The innovative elements of the tool are the economic impacts on productivity of the vessel as a result of additional time needed for bunkering and/or loss of payload when using renewable energy solutions. The tool is scheduled for completion by December 2025.
The panel discussions that took place on the second day focused on the subjects of digitalisation and innovative solutions for the purpose of fostering energy efficiency. Bengt Ramne of SYNERGETICS partner ScandiNaos presented the advantages of the retrofit to methanol propulsion in terms of emissions reduction of the inland and coastal vessels.
Reports on the evaluation of methanol as a propulsion solution, along with reports on the other demonstrations performed within the scope of SYNERGETICS, are available for download from the relevant section of our website.