MTC built a structure for exchanging information on the latest knowledge and experiences concerning maritime transport issues by establishing a network covering all transport related North Sea Region Programme projects.

MTC identified synergies between North Sea Region Programme project results and consolidated these into overall programme outcomes on transport. The results were discussed with the business, public sector and research actors and matched with industry and research trends.

Afterwards, outcomes were connected to policy developments with a focus on future transport and cohesion policy and the MTC Policy Paper was drafted.

Aim

The overall goal of the Maritime Transport Cluster was building a structure for exchange on the latest knowledge and experiences concerning maritime transport in the context of the Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme, aiming to develop the common voice of the programme on maritime transport.

In the end, the MTC Policy Paper was composed based on experiences gained in the North Sea Region, which should contribute to discussions on future transport policy developments in Europe.

By applying the cluster idea to the maritime transport sector MTC aimed at the following:

• To establish an MTC network covering all North Sea Region Programme transport projects as a platform for discussions and exchange.
• To identify synergies between the North Sea Region Programme project results and to consolidate these into overall programme outcomes on transport.
• To match the programme outcomes and discuss these with the business community.
• To match programme outcomes and business trends, also taking into account the latest R&D, and connect them to policy development.
• To compose a policy advice based on the North Sea Region Programme experiences to contribute input to help focusing on future transport and cohesion policy programmes.
• To convince the relevant decision-makers at the national level and EU institutions to make use of the MTC policy advice. 

Background

MTC applied the cluster idea to the maritime transport sector, thus creating a bridge between the results from the on-going Interreg projects dealing with maritime transport issues (priority 3 and partly priority 2) and new business trends in the maritime industry as well as with EU transport policy development.

This meant it raised awareness about the results being achieved in individual projects and ensured that these results were known and used as widely as possible in the North Sea Region.

Related projects:

• Ballast Water Opportunity
• BLAST
• CNSS
• Cruise Gateway
• Dry Port
• E-Harbours
• foodport
• iTransfer
• LO-PINOD
• NMU
• NS Frits
• poyo
• StratMoS
• SUSCOD

• Establishment of a maritime transport stakeholder network
• Overview of relevant project results, EU funding programmes, research agendas, and identified synergies between the North Sea Region Programme project results and a consolidation of these into overall programme outcomes on transport
• Discussion of the results with the business sector and its organisations, which resulted in  matched programme outcomes and business trends
• Connection of the matched programme outcomes and business trends to policy developments, which resulted in a first draft of the MTC Policy Advice
• Policy recommendations consolidated in the MTC Policy Paper with a focus on future transport and cohesion policy addressed to national and European policy makers