· The LASTING project is a coordination support action, led by both INEA (Innovation and Networks Executive Agency) and the European Commission, with a budget of €1.2 million and a consortium of 6 partners from 4 European countries.
Valencia – 21.01.21. The kick-off meeting of the LASTING project (Let’s go for Waterborne transport research – Broadening engagement and increasing impact), an initiative co-financed by the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Commission (EC) in which Fundación Valenciaport participates and whose general objectives are to broaden the involvement of the maritime and inland waterway transport sector in European research and development activities, was held yesterday afternoon, through the development of a strategy and a long-term communication campaign to help estimate the impact of the sector’s R&D&I as well as to amplify the results in this area in the main international events.
This is a Coordination Support Action led by both INEA (Innovation and Networks Executive Agency) and the EC, with a budget of €1.2 million and a consortium of 6 partners from 4 European countries.
The starting point will be to identify existing R&D&I gaps in the sector, with particular emphasis on the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises, consolidate the information collected, review past actions in European projects on research in the sector and draw up a toolbox to be included in the communication strategy as part of the project activities. The subsequent communication campaign will be monitored through key performance indicators established at the LASTING baseline scenario and there have been developed jointly by the project consortium, the European Commission Services and representatives of the maritime and inland waterway transport sector.
The essential element pivoting on the communication strategy to be generated during the project will use a “plug-and-play” system for participation in strategic events at international, european, national and regional levels of waterborne sector. In addition, high quality materials such as flyers and banners will be designed and the use of digital tools for dissemination purposes will be prioritised. Finally, the Waterborne platform will take over the communication strategy and campaigns after the end of the project, thus ensuring the durability and continuity of the project.
Among the specific objectives of the project is the need to make visible the financing mechanisms that the European Union makes available to small and medium-sized enterprises to help them in their research projects and to strengthen, promote and encourage innovative ideas in the sector that find support in European territory. In this way, directly applicable solutions can be promoted and financed on European territory, leading to greater economic growth, increased competitiveness and the creation of highly qualified jobs. In addition, the communication strategy will highlight the milestones achieved in innovation and research, thus enabling up to 25% more research partners in the maritime and inland waterway transport sector involved.
With this project, Fundación Valenciaport will contribute with its experience and knowledge on past, present and future on innovation initiatives concerning the maritime port sector and which are of value for stakeholders related to waterbone sector.
Project consortium:
LASTING involves six partners from 4 European countries: Sea Europe and Burson Cohn & Wolfe (Belgium); Pro Danube Management GMBH (Austria); Fundación Valenciaport (Spain); and Stichting Projecten Binnenvaart and Foundation Wegemt (The Netherlands).
