Danube Ports Network

Programme 2014 - 2020 INTERREG VB Danube

Date of latest update: 2023-11-06

Description

Description (EN):

The project aims to facilitate a balanced development of Danube Ports as eco-friendly, well accessible multimodal hubs for the transport system of the region and to turn them into buzzing economic centres functioning as catalysts for economic growth and creation of high value jobs. In order to achieve this, a permanent cooperation will be secured between public & private entities along the Danube, each of them bringing in their own specific expertise: ministries, port administrations, port users, specialized consultancy firms, logistics companies and universities. The project establishes a well-managed working platform which tackles the most urgent insufficiencies with the help of guidelines, recommendations and concrete pilot activities based on good practicesm leading into an overall development strategy and action plan for the Danube ports. The activities aim to improve port legislation, funding of port investments (State Aid Schemes and PPP models), port administration processes, port business strategies as well as port infrastructure & industrial development strategies. Special attention is paid to human capacity building and eco-improvement options for the port sector. An innovative port IT community system will be tested in real-life and new markets for Danube ports (circular economy, alternative fuels/LNG as cargo, distribution of renewable energy) will be analysed. The solutions elaborated by the consortium will be shared with more than 60 Danube ports as possible blueprints by building a Danube Port Network which shall emerge into a Danube Port Network Organisation in order to ensure durability of the results and their continous further development. Improved coordination and transnational integration achieved via pilot actions and common tools developed by private and public key stakeholders will lead to joint solutions for modernizing the Danube ports and will tap their economic potential for sustainable growth of the Danube region.

Achievements (EN):

THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 70 PORTS ALONG THE 2.414 KM LENGTH OF DANUBE. OUT OF THEM, ONLY THE ONES IN GERMANY AND AUSTRIA HAVE ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT CAPACITY TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS SERVICES. TO HELP CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN THE INLAND WATERWAY PORTS ALONG THE DANUBE, DAPHNE PROJECT SET UP A KNOWLEDGE SHARING PLATFORM HELPING THE DANUBE WATERWAY TO REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL AS A KEY TRANSPORT CORRIDOR. Public ports downstream of Austria are facing a series of drawbacks. From obsolete infrastructure and poor connections to other major transport modes, such as roads and rail, to outdated equipment and insufficient waterway maintenance. Due to diverse legal and regulatory frameworks in the region and the lack of human resources and/or expertise, private sector investments in ports are difficult and the provision of high quality services rare. How to help Danube ports to become eco-friendly, well accessible and multimodal hubs, serving as catalysts of sustainable economic growth in the entire Danube region? CLOSING THE EXISTING GAPS BETWEEN UPPER, MIDDLE AND LOWER DANUBE PORTS: Connecting port authorities, regulatory bodies, port associations, logistics companies and universities, 23 partners in the DAPhNE project created a network to facilitate the development of Danube ports. After first investigating the issues regarding port legislation and public funding affecting both the private and public port sector all along the Danube, the project partners elaborated six national reports with a set of recommendations applying the ‘same river, same rules’ principle. Next, in order to increase overall efficiency of port administration processes, good practices in port administration were developed, collecting input from port owners, managers and users about the existing port management models. It is hoped that in the long run, thanks to better regulatory framework and efficient administrative procedures, a balanced development of Danube ports as buzzing economic centres will be secured. As the next step, the DAPhNE partners worked to better understand the situation of the region's port infrastructure. By tracking technological infrastructure, development projects as well as the needs of selected ports along the TEN-T core network in the forthcoming period, the gaol was to provide a comprehensive package of the issues to be approached jointly. It is hoped that this will trigger the reform process, stimulate investments and innovation. DANUBE PORTS NETWORK: Next to numerous other deliverables, it is the Danube Ports Network that lies at the heart of the project. Launched in 2018, the network brings together public and private ports and terminal operators from the Danube Region and is meant to be a permanent communication channel among its members. Through this platform, partner port organisations can effectively share knowledge, seek access to funding, and address complex issues facing the port sector. For example, during the DAPhNE project, DPN organized the first thematic conference dedicated to port digitalisation – a big step towards preparing for ports' digital future in the Danube region. More recently, developed within the DIONYSUS project, which is a continuation of the DAPhNE project, DPN launched the "Survey on Port Statistics and COVID-19 Impact" aimed to collect information on port traffic in the midst of the pandemic during 2020. The survey, which is open for participating until 15 September 2021, could generate useful insights into the actual impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the Danube inland waterway transport. The survey furthermore touches upon topics linked to any kind of procedural restrictions that might have impaired a smooth transport flow.

Website: http://www.interreg-danube.eu/

Expected Results (EN): Intensity of cooperation of key actors in the programme area in order to strengthen environmentally-friendly, safe and balanced transport systems (survey based composite indicator)

Expected Outputs (EN):

The implementation of the DAPhNE project will result in improved collaboration in the Danube region between public & private port sector representatives, facilitated by top management & decision support tools designed to promote and further advance IWT transport and to consolidate the position of the ports as eco-friendly multi-modal hubs. The cooperation in the region will be improved and intensified due to the set-up of the Danube Ports Network, a platform to which all stakeholders relevant for the sustainable development of the Danube ports will have access to without discrimination. Port administrations, port users, national & local authorities from the entire region will be able to sign up as members on a voluntary basis. It is expected that by the end of the project there will be approx. 120 members from all Danube riparian countries which will have free access to the DAPhNE deliverables & outputs. This network will allow participants to get in touch, transfer know-how and generate new synergies designed to further develop ports and help them reach their full potential as buzzing economic centers, while also keeping in mind their reduced environmental impact. After the project finalization, the Danube Ports Network will continue to function as a permanent independent entity whose main role will be to facilitate the communication between parties & to organize events (Port Policy Days, Port Info Days) with the purpose of strengthening the ties between the port community.

Thematic information

Multimodal transport Institutional cooperation and cooperation networks Infrastructure

Specific Objective:

Support environmentally-friendly and safe transport systems and balanced accessibility of urban and rural areas (short title). Improve planning, coordination and practical solutions for an environmentally-friendly, low-carbon and safer transport network and services in the programme area contributing to a balanced accessibility of urban and rural areas

Thematic Objective: (07) promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures by:

Investment Priority: (07c) developing and improving environmentally-friendly (including low-noise) and low-carbon transport systems, including inland waterways and maritime transport, ports, multimodal links and airport infrastructure, in order to promote sustainable regional and local mobility

Partners (16)

Lead Partner: Pro Danube International

Address: Handelskai 265, 1020 Vienna, Austria

Legal status: private

Website: http://www.prodanube.eu

Total budget: EUR 356 959.30

ERDF budget: EUR 303 415.40

FH OÖ Forschungs und Entwicklungs GmbH

Name: FH OÖ Forschungs und Entwicklungs GmbH

Address: Franz-Fritsch 11/3,, A-4600 Wels, Austria

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.fh-ooe.at/forschung/

Total budget: EUR 261 101.00

ERDF budget: EUR 221 935.85

Държавно предприятие "Пристанищна инфраструктура"

Name: Държавно предприятие "Пристанищна инфраструктура"

Address: Shipchenski prohod 69, fl.4, 1574 Sofia, Bulgaria

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.bgports.bg

Total budget: EUR 243 650.00

ERDF budget: EUR 207 102.50

Compania Nationala Administratia Porturilor Dunarii Maritime SA Galati

Name: Compania Nationala Administratia Porturilor Dunarii Maritime SA Galati

Address: Portului 34, 800025 Galati, Romania

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.romanian-ports.ro

Total budget: EUR 237 696.00

ERDF budget: EUR 202 041.60

Magyar Dunai Kikötők Szövetsége

Name: Magyar Dunai Kikötők Szövetsége

Address: Ruhagyári 5, 2400 Dunaújváros, Hungary

Legal status: private

Website: http://www.hfip.hu

Total budget: EUR 231 992.30

ERDF budget: EUR 197 193.46

iC consulenten Zivilitechniker GesembH

Name: iC consulenten Zivilitechniker GesembH

Address: Schönbrunner 297, 1120 Vienna, Austria

Legal status: private

Website: http://www.ic-group.org

Total budget: EUR 230 401.50

ERDF budget: EUR 195 841.28

Compania Naţională Administraţia Porturilor Maritime SA Constanţa

Name: Compania Naţională Administraţia Porturilor Maritime SA Constanţa

Address: Incinta Port, Gara Maritima, 900900 Constanta,, Romania

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.portofconstantza.com

Total budget: EUR 212 630.00

ERDF budget: EUR 180 735.50

Ennshafen OÖ GmbH

Name: Ennshafen OÖ GmbH

Address: Donaustraße 3, 4470 Enns, Austria

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.ennshafen.at

Total budget: EUR 200 234.75

ERDF budget: EUR 170 199.54

Pro Danube Romania

Name: Pro Danube Romania

Address: Portului 54, 800025 Galati, Romania

Legal status: private

Total budget: EUR 191 242.90

ERDF budget: EUR 162 556.46

Verejné prístavy, a.s.

Name: Verejné prístavy, a.s.

Address: Prístavná 10, 821 09 Bratislava, Slovakia

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.vpas.sk

Total budget: EUR 188 255.00

ERDF budget: EUR 160 016.75

Agencija za upravljanje lukama

Name: Agencija za upravljanje lukama

Address: Nemanjina 4, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.aul.gov.rs

Total budget: EUR 143 971.50

IPA2 budget: EUR 122 375.78

RGO komunikacije d.o.o.

Name: RGO komunikacije d.o.o.

Address: Kuzminečka 53, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Legal status: private

Website: http://www.rgo.hr

Total budget: EUR 122 500.00

ERDF budget: EUR 104 125.00

Ministerul Transporturilor

Name: Ministerul Transporturilor

Address: Dinicu Golescu Blvd. 38, 10873 Bucharest, Romania

Legal status: public

Website (not verified): http://www.mt.ro

Total budget: EUR 117 728.90

ERDF budget: EUR 100 069.56

Universitatea Ovidius din Constanta

Name: Universitatea Ovidius din Constanta

Address: Mamaia 124Constanta, Romania

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.univ-ovidius.ro

Total budget: EUR 92 797.00

ERDF budget: EUR 78 877.45

Javna ustanova lučka uprava Vukovar

Name: Javna ustanova lučka uprava Vukovar

Address: Parobrodarska 5, 32000 Vukovar, Croatia

Legal status: public

Website (not verified): http://www.port-authority-vukovar.hr

Total budget: EUR 84 759.00

ERDF budget: EUR 72 045.15

ILR Logistica Romania SRL

Name: ILR Logistica Romania SRL

Address: Garii Street, 1st floor, room no. 2 30Giurgiu, Romania

Legal status: private

Website: http://www.ilr.com.ro

Total budget: EUR 69 487.00

ERDF budget: EUR 59 063.95

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Danube Ports Network

Description

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Partners (16)

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