On 5 September 2025, project partner Coventuris and the WISTAR project hosted a workshop aboard the training vessel of the Huy School of Inland Navigation, bringing together partners, private companies, and public stakeholders to explore innovations for carbon-free inland waterway transport (IWT). The event gathered 28 participants, representing a wide range of industries, technology providers, network associations, ports, and public authorities, including SPW Mobilité et Infrastructures and Wallonie-Bruxelles International.
Exploring project results and innovative solutions
The workshop featured presentations of WISTAR’s latest results by the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) and NEAC, alongside expert insights on ship design and energy efficiency from Batia Mosa. The Development Centre for Ship Technology and Transport Systems and the Huy School of Inland Navigation highlighted the role of simulators in training and education programmes, demonstrating how simulation technologies can prepare the next generation of inland waterway professionals.
Participants had the opportunity to experience the navigation simulator aboard the vessel and enjoy a practical trip along the Meuse up to the lock of Ampsin-Neuville, with lunch delivered and picked up at a quay along the route. These hands-on experiences underscored the link between research, innovation, and practical training.
Bridging research and education
The workshop highlighted the critical importance of training new professionals in IWT, particularly in the context of the sector’s ongoing labour shortages and the challenge of attracting younger workers. By connecting WISTAR’s innovative solutions with education and hands-on learning, the event demonstrated how research projects can directly contribute to building the skills needed for a sustainable and carbon-free inland waterway sector.
The WISTAR workshop in Huy successfully bridged the gap between project results and the training sector, creating opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the development of new approaches to training and professional development in inland shipping.