Our partner Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón (ITA) showcased FOREMAST’s innovative digital solutions for zero-emission inland waterway transport at two leading international conferences: the 1st International Conference on Decarbonising Waterborne Transportation (DeWaTra 2026) in Lisbon and the 12th International Physical Internet Conference (IPIC 2026) in Bordeaux. The presentations highlighted how advanced simulation, digital twins and virtual modelling can support the transition towards more sustainable, efficient and competitive freight transport systems.
FOREMAST is developing Small Flexible Automated Zero-emission (SFAZ) vessels and digital tools to facilitate a modal shift from road transport to inland waterways. By combining advanced simulation technologies with real-world validation, the project aims to demonstrate the operational, environmental and economic benefits of zero-emission waterborne logistics.
At the first edition of DeWaTra 2026 conference from 25-26 May 2026 in Lisbon, José Luis López (ITA) presented the paper “A Multi-Scale Simulation Framework for Zero-Emission IWT Planning”, developed jointly by FOREMAST partners ITA, VLTN, CIRCOE, Konnecta and Inlecom. The framework integrates Total Cost of Ownership analysis, agent-based modelling and physical vessel simulations to evaluate the feasibility and performance of SFAZ vessels under different logistics scenarios. Connected through FOREMAST’s Digital Twin ecosystem, these tools support data-driven decision-making and were successfully validated in the project’s Ghent Living Lab, demonstrating the competitiveness of inland waterway solutions compared with conventional transport alternatives.
A few weeks later, FOREMAST was also presented at the 12th International Physical Internet Conference (IPIC 2026), hosted by KEDGE Business School in Bordeaux on 8-10 June. David Ciprés (ITA) presented “Towards Competitive Inland Waterway Logistics: Virtual Models for Modal Shift Assessment”, focusing on how virtual modelling can assess the competitiveness of inland waterway transport within multimodal logistics networks. Based on results from the FOREMAST Living Labs in Ghent and Caen, the study combined agent-based modelling, route optimisation and Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate factors such as cost, efficiency, reliability, environmental impact and scalability. The research identified key conditions for successful modal shift and highlighted the role of collaboration and emerging SFAZ vessel concepts in creating more sustainable logistics ecosystems.
Through its participation in both conferences, FOREMAST strengthened its visibility within the research and innovation community while contributing to discussions on the decarbonisation of freight transport. The project’s results demonstrate how digital technologies can support investment decisions, reduce barriers to inland waterway adoption and accelerate the development of more resilient and sustainable transport systems across Europe.
