A new working platform for the Danube ports was established by the Danube Commission

Manfred Seitz, Director-General of the Secretariat of the Danube Commission, the article for the PGA’s sixth Annual Bulletin

In 2021, the Danube Commission (DC) established a working group which brings together experts from all twenty-two port administrations of Danube ports as well as key stakeholders from the private port sector. The working group was named “Experts Meeting on Development of Ports and Port Operations (EM Ports) and intends to address strategic issues of port development on the Danube region. It shall function as coordination and cooperation platform for the policy validation and for facilitating the development of the Danube ports in the framework of EU funding schemes. The first Expert Meeting was organized in September 2021 and involved about 80 participants, including more than 30 participants from administrations of Danube ports and port operators.

The work of the expert group was divided into five key areas, where the Secretariat first presented an overview of the main objectives and the status quo. Afterwards representatives of DG MOVE, CINEA, EFIP and various project coordinators/promoters presented the most important policy developments relevant for ports as well as project activities aiming to green and digitalize the port activities.

The second meeting was held online at the beginning of March 2022, while the next one is scheduled for the end of September in a hybrid format. The meeting will be focused on the following topics: updating the policy framework relevant to the Danube Region, facilitating project ideas for "making them greener" and digitalization, "green" hydrogen and its use in ports, providing qualified staff in Danube ports, the development of a port infrastructure database and systemic reduction of administrative barriers.

In the meeting from September, the experts confirmed the need to monitor and identify gaps in port infrastructure development on the Danube. In order to integrate the Danube ports into logistic chains, shortcomings in port infrastructure and in connecting rail and road infrastructure need to be targeted. For a better monitoring of the status and further development of port infrastructure, the Secretariat of the Danube Commission plans to extend its current database on Danube ports http://www.danubecommission.org/dc/en/danubenavigation/danube-ports-map/ and to develop it into a comprehensive GIS based information system.

The DC Secretariat will also propose a Memorandum for a Green Danube Ports initiative, which shall document the will of the Danube ports to develop strategies, action plans and projects to reduce the GHG Emissions by 55 percent by 2030.

The presentations and documents of the first meeting of the working group are available: https://www.danubecommission.org/dc/en/2021/10/22/ expert-meeting-for-the-development-of-ports-and-portoperations-em-ports/.