The Waterborne Technology Platform (TP) has welcomed its newest member Hydrus Engineering, further strengthening the representation of waterborne-related service providers in ensuring Europe’s leadership in the waterborne sector.
Waterborne TP is an industry-oriented European Technology Platform established to ensure a continuous dialogue between the European waterborne sector, EU Institutions and Member States. It brings together stakeholders from across the entire value chain, including shipowners, shipbuilders, equipment manufacturers, classification societies, energy, infrastructure and service providers, ports, universities, and research institutes, ensuring that research development and innovation priorities (RD&I) reflect both industrial needs and policy objectives. The Waterborne TP coordinates the private side of the Zero Emission Waterborne Transport Partnership and covers activities in vessel technologies and operations, port ecosystems as well as the blue economy.
Athens-based Hydrus Engineering is currently involved in various European-funded programmes, including alternative fuels and electrification.
The Waterborne Technology Platform is currently developing nine technology roadmaps encompassing research, development, innovation (RD&I), upscaling and deployment including for six different ship types: inland waterway transport, ferries, short sea shipping, cruise ships, oceangoing ships and offshore vessels. These roadmaps reflect different solutions for liner and bulk/tramp shipping and their business models, as well as for retrofitting and newbuilds. They aim to facilitate a competitive, resilient and sustainable future.
Astrinos PAPADAKIS, Senior Innovation Hub Manager, Hydrus Engineering, said: “After many years of indirect cooperation and parallel engagement with the Zero-Emission Waterborne Transport (ZEWT) Partnership—coordinating and leading various ZEWT projects—we believe the time is right to take the next step and become actively involved in Waterborne’s broader activities. Through this engagement, we aim to remain at the forefront of initiatives shaping the future of waterborne transport, while contributing our expertise and strong connection to end-users, ensuring that their needs and perspectives are effectively represented.”
Jaap Gebraad, Secretary General, Waterborne TP, added: “The deployment of economically viable technological solutions currently available combined with research, development and innovation for medium- and long-term solutions will be critical for a competitive, resilient and sustainable future. The contributions of Hydrus Engineering to the development of our different roadmaps will be key to ensuring that our strategy builds on the current state-of-the-art, reflects the wider ecosystem perspective, and delivers solutions that are both tailored accordingly and deployable. The technology roadmaps will stimulate both private and public investments, whereas the sector provides concrete input on the different steps to be achieved towards 2035, 2040 and 2050.”
Image: Hydrus has been involved in various ship design and newbuilding projects (source: Hydrus Engineering)
