The HERFRIED project has been awarded funding under the European Union’s Horizon Europe Programme, paving the way for a new era of smart, sustainable and fully integrated inland waterway transport across Europe.
The project aims to digitally transform inland waterway transport (IWT) by creating a comprehensive Smart Inland Waterway Transport Framework that integrates smart vessels, smart infrastructure, smart data and smart administration into multimodal logistics networks. Through this approach, HERFRIED seeks to strengthen the role of inland waterways in Europe’s transport system while supporting the EU’s green and digital transition objectives.
Inland waterway transport offers considerable potential to reduce road congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve freight transport efficiency. HERFRIED will unlock this potential by improving interoperability, connectivity and real-time coordination between transport operators, infrastructure managers and logistics stakeholders.
To achieve these goals, the project will develop and validate a range of innovative digital solutions designed to automate cross-border information exchange related to voyages, traffic and infrastructure. The framework will also extend tracking capabilities to barges that are currently unmonitored, optimise transhipment processes in ports, and facilitate the discovery of available transport capacity and routes across inland waterways, rail and road networks.
By enabling real-time multimodal coordination and providing enhanced visibility for shippers and logistics providers, HERFRIED aims to make inland waterway transport more efficient, reliable and environmentally sustainable. The solutions will be tested and demonstrated in seven industry-led pilot projects across Europe, ensuring that innovations are validated in real operational environments.
"The funding awarded under Horizon Europe represents an important milestone for the project and reflects the growing recognition of inland waterways as a key component of Europe's sustainable transport future," the consortium stated.
HERFRIED addresses several strategic European priorities, including sustainability, digitalisation, resilience and transport efficiency. The project is expected to deliver measurable benefits for end-users while creating a scalable foundation for the large-scale deployment of cooperative Smart Shipping and Smart Logistics solutions beyond the project's duration.
The project is funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-10, the EU's flagship programme for research and innovation.
HERFRIED stands for "Highly Efficient, Eco-Friendly, Resilient, Fully Integrated, Real-Time Innovative Inland Waterway Transport Enhancing Multimodal Competitiveness via Digitalisation."
The consortium is coordinated by the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and brings together 17 leading European organisations from the fields of research, logistics, transport operations, infrastructure management, digital technologies and policy support. Partners include etp-ALICE, imec, University of Antwerp, Pro Danube International, viadonau, Transport Trade Services, voestalpine, Chasqee, RSOE, Transporeon, 4shipping, De Vlaamse Waterweg, AI Cargofoundation, Panteia, Frequentis and Inuits.
Together, the consortium forms a strong European network dedicated to advancing innovation and sustainability in inland waterway transport and strengthening Europe's multimodal logistics ecosystem.
The press release can be downloaded here.