EU funded project for efficient Danube ports

On 20 February 2017, the EU co-funded transnational project DAPhNE – Danube Ports Network was officially launched in Budapest. The event brought together more than 50 experts having a dedicated interest in the development and improvement of Danube Ports. Among the participants were representatives of port authorities, port logistics operators, ministries of transport, river commissions and port technology providers as well as Mr Alexander van den Bosch from the European Federation of Inland Ports.

DAPhNE – initiated and coordinated by Pro Danube – facilitates a balanced development of Danube Ports as eco-friendly, well accessible multimodal hubs for the transport system of the region.

“Efficient and sustainable Danube ports are essential elements for a competitive Danube logistics system and thus vital for the economic development of the Danube region. DAPhNE shall support the Danube ports to become buzzing economic centres functioning as catalysts for economic growth and job creation”, says Manfred Seitz, General Secretary of Pro Danube International

The project will establish a well-managed working platform (Danube Port Network) which tackles insufficiencies in the regulatory framework, port management and port development practice with the help of guidelines, recommendations and concrete pilot activities based on best practices leading into an overall development strategy and action plan. Transnational knowledge exchange, improved coordination, pilot actions and common tools developed by private and public members of the port community will result into revising and harmonizing port legislation, port administration and port management in the entire Danube region.

Special attention will be paid to the improvement of the eco-performance of the ports in order to contribute to the ecological balance of the river and to improve the situation of the port municipalities. The solutions elaborated by the consortium will be shared with more than 60 Danube ports as possible blueprints.

“DAPhNE – Danube Ports Network” project is co-funded by European Union Funds (ERDF, IPA) under the Danube Transnational Programme (DTP) and will run for 30 months (January 2017 – June 2019). The project is implemented by a transnational consortium of 16 co-funded organisations and 7 associated strategic partners (public authorities, consulting companies, universities and NGOs) from 9 European countries (AT, SK, HU, HR, RS, RO, BG, MD, UK). The project has a total budget of EUR 2.98 million, out of which ERDF contribution amounts EUR 2,41 million & IPA contribution amounts EUR 122,375,77 million.

www.prodanube.eu; www.interreg-danube.eu/daphne