Ferry sustainable
The importance of innovation in maintaining a competitive, sustainable ferry industry in the North Sea Region (NSR) has been highlighted by the Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown at a European conference in Edinburgh, UK in November.
Mr Brown was attending an event on Sustainable ferries; exploring innovation in the North Sea Region, organised by the iTransfer (Innovative Transport Solutions for Fjords, Estuaries and Rivers) project. Speaking to an audience including iTransfer partners and industry representatives, Mr Brown said: “It is essential that the ferry and shipping industries continue to demonstrate the innovation and excellence they are renowned for, to develop new ways to improve efficiency in the face of increasing costs and competition from other sectors.”
The Minister also highlighted the importance of collaboration in developing solutions to the challenges facing the industry.
The iTransfer project is part of Interreg IVB, working with partners from the NSR Programme to make ferry transport more freely accessible and sustainable, and encourage more people to travel by water.
iTransfer project partners from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK presented their work on a range of themes including enhancing the efficiency of existing ferry operations through new technologies; encouraging a more supportive policy framework for public transport; reducing ferries’ fuel consumption and emissions; and developing innovative sustainable ferry designs.
Laurienne Tibbles, iTransfer Project Manager at lead partner organisation the Institute for Sustainability, said: “Collaboration amongst iTransfer partners is helping to drive innovation and new opportunities. By sharing their knowledge and experience, partners are developing improved solutions for ferry operations in the North Sea Region and beyond.”
By Jake Frith
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