The European project Connected River started in 2022 to achieve a safe and diverse use of waterways.
The first two years are over and the last two are about to begin. Time to take stock and look ahead. Project partners from all participating European countries therefore joined Antwerp in early autumn for the Mid-term Event.
The Port House was the place of meeting and a better place could hardly be imagined. With its futuristic – diamond-shaped – head on top of an early 20th century fire station, the Port House unites past and future in its architecture. In addition, the building overlooks the port of Antwerp, one of the areas where Connected River would like to make a difference.
Mid-term Event at the Port House Antwerp
Benno Bultink, Project Lead
Benno Bultink of Rijkswaterstaat is the initiator and project manager of Connected River; "Waterways and waterfronts are being sought out by more and more people. Not only is the number increasing, but so is the diversity of activities.
Changes are also coming in rapid succession. This often leads to risky situations, especially where commercial shipping and recreation meet. That's a Europe-wide development."
Towards a new balance on the water
The safe combination of all use on the water does not happen by itself. That is why partners from 6 European countries are working together on a methodology to achieve a new balance on the water. The so-called Flow Forward methodology responds to rapid changes, is based on the wishes and interests of the user, is agile and therefore has the motto 'be like water'. Flow Forward is seen as a promising method by all partners, as was evident during the meeting in Antwerp.
Tools and solutions
Benno Bultink observed with interest and satisfaction the animated discussions that took place on the 'tools and solutions market' during the breaks of the midterm event. Project partners showed the knowledge and experience they bring to Connected River and talked to the audience about additions and enrichments. The market was more than just an exchange between project partners: "the tools and solutions market and the discussions held there are a source for the discussion in the steering committee after the midterm event," says Benno Bultink. "that includes the panel discussions on the methodology and the pilots and the public's opinions on the direction Connected River should take. With all this information, the steering committee makes choices for the future."
Message in a bottle for the future
The future was the focus of the field visit to the Kleine Nete the next day. The Flemish Environment Agency – organiser of the midterm event – is carrying out its Connected River pilot here. The Kleine Nete is a tributary of the Scheldt and is known as one of the cleanest and most valuable rivers in Flanders. At the same time, the recreational pressure of water sports enthusiasts is increasing here. The Flow Forward method is used to seek a symbiotic combination of nature and recreation.
Pupils of Campus de Vesten in Herenthals have clear ideas for the future of their Kleine Nete. Packed as a message in a bottle, they handed it over to Cathy Berx, Governor of the province of Antwerp, against the backdrop of the ship 'message in a bottle'. Message in a bottle is a bottle-shaped ship with which adventurers Fons Oerlemans and Kee Arens sailed the world's oceans. Antwerp's creative sanctuary Stormkop had shipped the ship to De Kleine Nete for the occasion.
© Nieuws.be_Cathy Berx
Engage users early
"The input of the schoolchildren is important," Benno emphasizes. "Flow Forward is about, among other things, involving all users at an early stage, and that explicitly includes future generations," he says. "For example, together with young people in the Spiegelwaal in Nijmegen, we are working on safe alternatives to the dangerous 'bridge jumping'".
In addition to the Netherlands and Flanders, experience is also being gained in Germany, France, Denmark and Sweden. "The ports of Amsterdam, Hamburg, Lille and Vordingborg are increasingly developing as residential and recreational areas, while commercial shipping continues to grow. Flow Forward can then help to steer all these flows in the right direction," says Benno.
From experiment to practice
In all 6 pilots, Flow Forward offers insight into often unconventional solutions to bring users of waterways and ports together safely. The European partners will therefore continue their work in full during the second half of Connected River's term, they decided in Antwerp. The interim results are so encouraging that the Connected River Steering Group has decided to take further steps. The method will be scientifically recorded and tested, disseminated within its own organisations and preparations will be made for a follow-up after completion in 2026.
Full statement of the Connected River Steering Group - The Steering Group decided to develop a strategic perspective:
- short term: continue the Connected River project with focus on scaling promising experiments with synergies;
- medium term: disseminate and refine the Flow Forward approach and experiences within the partner organizations and their networks to address diverse challenges on and around water (roadmap);
- long term: Start preparing a Connected River follow-up. For providing multiple water values to users in a balanced way, with complementary pilot areas and partners to apply and enrich the approach for broader take up in a transnational ecosystem.
Source & Pictures: Rijkswaterstaat