Connected River

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B North Sea

Date of latest update: 2025-02-03

Description

Description (EN):

Waterways and waterfronts (ww&wfs) are vital for the NSR's economy, ecology and quality of life. This multiple interest leads to issues like conflicting use, accidents and pollution. Such issues increasingly occur in shared ww&wfs of the NSR. This is caused by growing pressures exerted by urban development, commercial, recreational and other activities. Traditionally, responsible authorities apply a static approach to respond to such issues and pressures. This worked and still works well for their typical tasks, like water management. However, they experience that it is unfit to rapidly respond in a fast-changing environment. To address this common challenge, some authorities are exploring new, innovative methods of working and introducing digital/smart solutions. Yet, they do so separately and only in larger cities, less so in rural areas. There is a huge opportunity to share knowledge and experiences between countries and between urban and rural areas. Connected River (CR) will untap this opportunity. It aims to boost capacities of multi-stakeholder ecosystems to deliver services that guarantee safety, accessibility and liveability of shared ww&wfs in the NSR. It will do so by bringing diverse partners and stakeholders together in 3 pilots that take place in 6 pilot areas. Components of the so-called Flow Forward approach are jointly developed and implemented in 3 pilots on: mobilizing multi-stakeholder ecosystems for user-centric, agile innovation; conducting user-centric, agile innovation on challenges that shared ww&wfs face; and accelerating uptake of digital/smart solutions to improve services to stakeholders. Based on the pilots' lessons, CR delivers a playbook (strategy) to maximise uptake and transferability of the Flow Forward approach. This sets out the values, processes and procedures for a fit-for-future response to challenges that shared ww&wfs face. CR partners also make roadmaps on how to integrate the playbook into their innovation strategies.

Actual Achievements (EN):

Our main achievements in this period relate to the 'why', 'how' and 'what' of Connected River. 'why' Connected River: white paper A white paper and presentation about the 'why' of the project has been created, which can be used as an introduction to any (external) communication when introducing the Connected River project. 'how' Connected River: a practical approach In the first year of the project, AMS and IVA supported the pilot areas to set up their own innovation process. By overlaying the different innovation processes, we made an analysis from which various sub-patterns have become visible: similar steps that have been taken in various areas. These sub-patterns have been developed into mini-step plans as a practical approach on our innovation process (Flow Forward approach). 'what' Connected River: Nordic case ELP worked on widening the CR network by initiating a dialogue on participation in activities which can contribute to CR upscaling and dissemination. In order to engage Nordic replication partners and organizations previously not in contact with CR we have developed the Nordic case. It is a description of challenges that many nordic cities/ports have in common; when the city is growing into popular waterfronts in former port areas, and the port at the same time want to develop to allow more water transport many goal conflicts arise. We did this through direct contacts and meetings with representatives for ports and cities, one-on-one, and through a workshop with several organizations sharing ideas around the Nordic case. Transnational cooperation: Intervision To stimulate (transnational) sharing experiences between pilot areas, a Miro template is used to record the lessons learned. This will also used in the Playbook as 'tips and tricks'. We organised monthly intervision sessions. Each time, one pilot area shared its challenges, others shared their experiences and insights, and the approach partners shared approaches that can be used to solve the challenge.

Thematic information

Waterways, lakes and rivers

Priority: (VI-B_NS_1) Priority 1: Robust and smart economies in the North Sea region

Priority specific objective: RSO1.1. Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO1 A more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity

Type of intervention: 028 Technology transfer and cooperation between enterprises, research centres and higher education sector

Partners (13)

Lead Partner: Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat

Partner’s ID if not PIC: NL003214412B13

Address: Rijnstraat 8, 2515 XP, The Hague, The Netherlands, 2515XP The Hague, Netherlands

Legal status: public

Organisation type: National public authority

Website (not verified): http://ww.rijkswaterstaat.nl

Total budget: EUR 1 150 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 690 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 460 000.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

PortPay B.V.

Name: PortPay B.V.

Partner’s ID if not PIC: NL853171245B01

Address: Suikersilo-West 25 1165 MP Halfweg, 1165MP Halfweg, Netherlands

Legal status: private

Organisation type: SME

Website: http://www.portpayinternational.com

Total budget: EUR 193 500.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 116 100.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 77 400.00

GBER schemes / de minimis: GBER

Digital Hub Logistics GmbH

Name: Digital Hub Logistics GmbH

Partner’s ID if not PIC: DE316576963

Address: St. Annenufer 2, 20457 Hamburg, Germany, 20457 Hamburg, Germany

Legal status: private

Organisation type: SME

Website: https://en.digitalhublogistics.hamburg/

Total budget: EUR 74 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 44 400.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 29 600.00

GBER schemes / de minimis: GBER

Vordingborg kommune

Name: Vordingborg kommune

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 5798007232054

Address: Valdemarsgade 43, 4760 Vordingborg, 4760 Vordingborg, Denmark

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.vordingborg.dk

Total budget: EUR 480 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 288 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 192 000.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Flemish Environmental Agency

Name: Flemish Environmental Agency

Partner’s ID if not PIC: BE 0887.290.276

Address: Dokter De Moorstraat 24-26, Aalst 9300, 9300 Aalst, Belgium

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.vmm.be

Total budget: EUR 445 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 267 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 178 000.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Ports de Lille

Name: Ports de Lille

Partner’s ID if not PIC: FR29130022718.

Address: Place Leroux de Fauquemont CS 91394 – 59014 Lille, 59000 Lille, France

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: https://www.portsdelille.com/

Total budget: EUR 299 500.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 179 700.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 119 800.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Logistik-Initiative Hamburg Management GmbH

Name: Logistik-Initiative Hamburg Management GmbH

Partner’s ID if not PIC: DE317975860

Address: Wexstrasse 7, 20355 Hamburg, Germany, 20355 Hamburg, Germany

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: http://www.hamburg-logistik.net/en

Total budget: EUR 467 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 280 200.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 186 800.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

InnoValor Advies B.V.

Name: InnoValor Advies B.V.

Partner’s ID if not PIC: NL8627.37.126.B01

Address: Moutlaan 20, 7523 MD Enschede, the Netherlands, 7523MD Enschede, Netherlands

Legal status: private

Organisation type: SME

Website: http://www.innovalor.nl

Total budget: EUR 273 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 163 800.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 109 200.00

GBER schemes / de minimis: GBER

Hamburg Port Authority AöR

Name: Hamburg Port Authority AöR

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 27/257/01309

Address: Neuer Wandrahm 4, 20457 Hamburg, Germany, 20457 Hamburg, Germany

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.hamburg-port-authority.de

Total budget: EUR 458 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 274 800.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 183 200.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Gemeente Nijmegen

Name: Gemeente Nijmegen

Partner’s ID if not PIC: NL001479179B12

Address: Korte Nieuwstraat 6, 6511 PP NIJMEGEN, 6511PP Nijmegen, Netherlands

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.nijmegen.nl

Total budget: EUR 465 469.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 279 281.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 59.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 186 188.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Ecoloop AB

Name: Ecoloop AB

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SE556627-4816

Address: Ringvägen 100, 11860 Stockholm. Sweden, 11860 Stockholm, Sweden

Legal status: public

Organisation type: SME

Website: http://www.ecoloop.se

Total budget: EUR 163 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 97 800.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 65 200.00

GBER schemes / de minimis: GBER

Association Internationale Villes et Ports

Name: Association Internationale Villes et Ports

Partner’s ID if not PIC: FR39349537472

Address: 5 Quai de la Saône, 76600 Le Havre, Frankrijk, 76600 Le Havre, France

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Other

Website: https://www.aivp.org/

Total budget: EUR 259 723.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 155 834.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 103 889.00

GBER schemes / de minimis:

Antwerp Management School

Name: Antwerp Management School

Partner’s ID if not PIC: BE 0899 382 713

Address: Boogkeers 5, 2000 Antwerpen, België, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.antwerpmanagementschool.com

Total budget: EUR 320 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 192 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 60.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 128 000.00

GBER schemes / de minimis: GBER

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

PortPay

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

Digital Hub Logistics Hamburg

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

Vordingborg Municipality

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

Port of Lille

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

Logistics Initiative Hamburg

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

InnoValor Advice

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

Hamburg Port Authority AöR

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

City of Nijmegen

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

Ecoloop AB

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

International Association Cities And Ports

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

Antwerp Management School

Connected River

Partners and Projects info

Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

Connected River

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Connected River

Project acronym: CR

Project ID: 9na1l2OZV

Project start date: 2023-01-01

Project end date: 2026-12-31

Project status: ongoing

Relevant mentions and prizes:

false

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 5 048 192.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 3 028 915.00

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 60.00%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 3 028 915.00. Co-financing rate, 60.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

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Deliverables:

Develop canvasses for Flow Forward / APs develop canvasses to guide HPs and their ecosystem stakeholders on how to work with the three Flow Forward components: i) ecosystem mobilisation, ii) user-centric, agile innovation, and iii) uptake of digital/smart solutions.
Map the needs to implement (prototyped) solutions / APs conduct desk research and interviews with HPs and SPs to explore what is needed for the implementation and scaling of the 2 most viable (prototyped) solutions.
Map existing innovation capacities and improvement needs / The APs conduct desk research and interviews with the HPs to map the existing user centric, agile innovation capacity of their ecosystem. This includes an analysis of the needs for improvement to potential capacities.
Map existing ecosystems and improvement needs / APs conduct desk research and interviews with HPs to map their existing multi-stakeholder ecosystems. This includes an analysis of the gaps between public, commercial and recreational stakeholders and needs for improvement to potential ecosystems.
Develop capacity self-assessment model / APs develop a capacity self-assessment model to enable HPs, their ecosystem stakeholders and RPs to monitor and evaluate their improvement on each of the three Flow Forward components as utilised in WP1, WP2 and WP3.
Accelerate digital / smart solutions to implementation / HP (supported by SPs) implement their most viable solution as a Beta-version and take initial steps to standardise and develop it towards full implementation as part of the project legacy.
Determine experiment questions / HPs organise Design Thinking sessions to determine the experiment questions for their challenges (identified in WP1). In doing so, they involve their ecosystem stakeholders (mapped in WP1) and use the communication architectures (designed in WP1).
Define ecosystem communication architecture / HPs define an ecosystem communication architecture, detailing at least 1 channel, 1 Single Point of Contact for the multi-stakeholder ecosystem and 1 target group.
Develop toolkit of training methods / AP develop a toolkit of training methods that provide a set of options to provide training on the three Flow Forward components: i) ecosystem mobilisation, ii) user-centric, agile innovation, and iii) uptake of digital/smart solutions.
Demonstrate and promote digital and other smart solutions / The HP (supported by SPs) develop plans (including site visits, trade shows, brochures, social media, etc.) to demonstrate and promote the digital / smart solutions successfully implemented across NSR.
Explore possible solution directions / Per experiment question (determined in activity 2), HPs ideate and explore an array of possible solutions using rapid-prototype methodology. In this way they test multiple solution directions early and often with their ecosystem stakeholders.
Identify challenges, stakeholders and vision / HPs organise workshop meetings to look for challenges that their shared ww&wfs face, to connect key stakeholders to those challenges, and to develop a vision for the short, medium and long term.
Deliver training on Flow Forward / APs offer trainings to HPs, their ecosystem stakeholders and RPs on the effective use of three Flow Forward components: i) ecosystem mobilisation, ii) user-centric, agile innovation, and iii) uptake of digital/smart solutions.
Monitor and evaluate progress on implementation / HPs organise regular external meetings with their ecosystem stakeholders to self-assess and evaluate how the uptake and scaling of their digital / smart solutions proceed, also making it possible to evolve their ecosystem capacities.
Prototype and validate solutions / HPs prototype and validate solutions that have proven to be most promising during exploration (activity 3). In doing so, they involve their ecosystem stakeholders and use the communication architectures. Most viable solutions will be upscaled in WP3.
Share news on challenges, stakeholders and vision / HPs regularly share news and produce a video on the identified challenges, the evolving multi-stakeholder ecosystem and the vision for the future for social media and designated channels.
Evolve canvasses into Flow Forward components / APs, with HPs, review the results of the capacity self-assessments and peer-learning in WP1/2/3, and identify key enablers for progress. Based on these enablers, they evolve the canvasses (of activity 1) into fully-fledged Flow Forward components.
Learn from evaluation together with peers / APs organise peer-to-peer workshops to share experiences and good / bad practices between HPs and SPs on acceleration of digital / smart solutions to implementation. These workshops are open to RPs.
Share news on prototyping experiments / HPs actively involve their ecosystem stakeholders via local live demonstrations and webcasts and share user stories on experiments through social and other media.
Incrementally mobilise (new) stakeholders / HPs organise focus group and workshop meetings to incrementally advance insights on (new) challenges and to connect (new) stakeholders to the ecosystem. The maturity model of WP4 supports action-oriented stakeholder decision-making.
Explore roadmaps for integration / HPs organise workshops to explore how they integrate: 1) ecosystem mobilisation into their collaboration processes, 2) user-centric, agile innovation into their working procedures, and 3) digital / smart solutions into their service delivery.
Publish good practices on acceleration to implementation / AIVP will publish the identified two best practices on acceleration of digital / smart solutions to implementation in their online library as open access.
Monitor and evaluate progress on innovation capabilities / HPs organise regular external meetings with their ecosystem stakeholders to self-assess and evaluate how their experiments are proceeding, also making it possible to evolve their ecosystem capacities.
Monitor and evaluate progress on ecosystem development / HPs organise regular external meetings with their ecosystem stakeholders to self-assess and evaluate how their stakeholder mobilisation is proceeding, also making it possible to evolve their ecosystem capacities.
Explore pathways to transfer & legacy / Each partner will organise a workshop to explore how they contribute to the transfer and legacy of the outputs of the CR project within their network.
Learn from evaluation together with peers / APs organise peer-to-peer workshops to share experiences and good / bad practices between HPs on conducting user-centric, agile innovation. These workshops are open to RPs.
Learn from evaluation together with peers / APs organise peer-to-peer workshops to share experiences and good / bad practices between HPs on mobilising multi-stakeholder ecosystems for user-centric, agile innovation. These workshops are open to RPs.
Activation workshops for RPs / APs offer activation workshops at AIVP events to RPs across NSR in order to empower the uptake of the Flow Forward approach (playbook) and the developed digital / smart solutions.
Publish good practices on ecosystem mobilisation / AIVP publishes the identified two best practices on ecosystem mobilisation for shared ww&wfs in their online library as open access.
Publish good practices on user-centric, agile innovation / AIVP publishes the identified two best practices on user-centric, agile innovation on challenges for shared ww&wfs in their online library as open access.
Dissemination campaign / All partners contribute to a dissemination campaign that includes, but is not limited to a promotional mini documentary showcasing the Flow Forward approach and the developed digital / smart solutions.
Outreach sessions at World Conference on Cities and Ports / AIVP coordinates and hosts dedicated outreach sessions at the 2024&2026 "World Conference Cities & Ports" assuring high level transnational awareness of the outputs of the CR project and collecting feedback on its outputs. See visuals annex 5, 6 & 7.

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

The EU Green Deal calls for shifting passenger and freight traffic away from roads to inland navigation. CR recognises and (with pilots) acts upon this EU objective as a major driver for the increasing, multiple use of ww&wf. The milestone for this objective has been specified in the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy (see below) as follows: to increase the share of inland waterway transport by 25 % by 2030 and by 50 % by 2050.
CR contributes to shaping Europe's digital future by enhancing capabilities for user-centric digital transformation throughout the NSR. CRs' Flow Forward approach ensures that digital/smart solutions for ww&wf challenges explicitly meet the needs of citizens, businesses and other stakeholders participate in the ecosystem on a specific challenge. This contributes to the exploration, uptake and upscaling of digital/smart solutions; all essential for the digital transformation.
This Agenda seeks to promote an inclusive and sustainable future and help achieve SDGs. CR contributes to achieving this in places on shared ww&wfs. These places experience impacts from growing pressures exerted by urban development, commercial, recreational and other activities. CR wants to limit the negative impacts (e.g. less ecological damage from ww&wf recreation) and maximise the positive impacts (e.g. more jobs from tourism). Inclusivity is promoted through the Flow Forward approach.
The Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy aims to increase the share of inland waterway transport, which is a major driver for CR. This aim, in turn, will require measures to manage better and to increase the capacity of inland wws. CR addresses this need by tackling the issues that arise from the increasing, multiple use of shared ww&wfs. These issues, if not managed, can reduce the operational capacity, and prevent taking the full benefit from inland navigation.
This Action Plan wants to achieve the continuous and reliable navigability of the trans EU inland ww network and in those inner cities where inland ww's can green the last mile of city logistics through dedicated terminals. CR contributes to this action by speeding up digital/smart solutions that improve the quality and sustainability of infrastructure. This includes e.g. inland ports infrastructure to become testbeds for multimodal connections.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:

Delivered output indicator(s):

(RCO84) Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects: 756
(RCO83) Strategies and action plans jointly developed: 256

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Delivered result indicator(s):

(RCR104) Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations: 18
(RCR79) Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations: 7

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B North Sea

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-02-03

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

65 / 65 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

791 / 791 (100%)

Notes on the data

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Connected River

Description

Thematic information

Partners (13)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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