On 13 November 2014, in Constanta (Romania), the Romanian Maritime Training Centre - CERONAV organised the closing event of the project HINT, an EU co-funded project under the South East Europe Transnational Cooperation Programme (SEE). The event brought together not only the project partners, but also representatives of the Ministry of Transport, of the SEE Joint Technical Secretariat and national stakeholders with a special interest in education and training of inland nautical personnel. The event celebrated the project outcomes and offered the opportunity to share the most notable experience gained throughout the 2-year-project lifetime.

Several outcomes were delivered such as newly implemented training and assessment IT applications, Danube Knowledge Network (LinkedIn Group) and the development of common transnational concepts. The training and assessment IT applications bring two major solutions such as the self-assessment platform for certification of personnel transporting dangerous cargoes which is available in seven Danube languages and the update of INeS Danube e-learning platform. The INeS platform provides a modern form of education in the field of logistics on inland waterways in the Danube region with particular reference to intermodality. The platform caters to the needs of different target groups, whether pupils or students of educational institutions focusing on logistics, practitioners like shipping companies or the manufacturing industry. Pro Danube contributed to the update of INeS with a LNG e-learning module describing the basic characteristics and benefits of using Liquefied Natural Gas as well as European and worldwide market developments and trends. Another new e-learning module is Ship Waste Management which was implemented in the frame of the CO-WANDA project, EU co-funded project by the South East Europe Transnational Cooperation Programme.

Another important outcome of the project, the Danube Knowledge Network, represents a cooperation network established during NELI project and extended in HINT project. The network acts as a facilitator for the exchange of knowledge, know-how and skills, best practices and information, various learning materials, transnational actions and strategies in the field of inland waterways transport.

Common transnational concepts for on-board and simulator training via configuration of technical and organisational concepts were developed for the following:
  • Danube School Ship focusing on vessel design, proprietary alternatives, blueprints for on-board training sessions, navigation routes, estimated costs and funding options. Pro Danube co-operated and co-ordinated the validation of the proposed concept with the industry. The executive summary can be downloaded from the "downloads & links – pro danube international" section of the Pro Danube website or directly from here
  • Danube Navigation Simulator which incorporates various types of ships and sets technical performances, visualisation of ship and its surroundings, devices to be simulated  (for. eg. radar, ECDIS, AIS, VHF radio), necessary infrastructure fot the installation of such a simulator as well as training requirements, costs and funding posibilities
  • Port Logistics Simulator focusing on competences to be acquired through simulator training, acquisition possibilities, appropriate location and accessibility as well as potential training providers.
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More information about the project regarding the work of its consortium and  the overall results of the project can be accessed via: http://www.hintproject.net/

Photo Source: HINT Consortium