FH Upper Austria Achieves Top Rating in Horizon Europe and Leads Research Project on Sustainable Freight Transport by Water

Inland waterway transport generates significantly fewer emissions per ton-kilometer than road freight and therefore offers considerable potential for greener logistics. Explaining how this potential can be unlocked, Professor Lisa-Maria Putz-Egger of the Logistikum at FH Upper Austria in Steyr says: “With the HERFRIED project and a strong industry-based consortium, we are creating a digitally connected, intelligent, and integrated system for inland waterway transport. We connect companies, logistics service providers, authorities, and infrastructure operators, automate cross-border information exchange, and coordinate operations across different modes of transport in real time.”

The project's goal is to develop practical solutions that optimize cargo handling, capacity planning, and routing decisions while seamlessly integrating inland waterways into multimodal supply chains. This will improve efficiency, reliability, and the environmental performance of European freight transport.

voestalpine Aims to Increase Efficiency and Sustainability Through Digitalized Supply Chains
The HERFRIED project received the highest possible recognition from the European Union’s flagship research and innovation program, Horizon Europe. The funding proposal submitted by Lisa-Maria Putz-Egger and her team achieved the exceptionally rare maximum evaluation score of 15.0 points.

The HERFRIED consortium, comprising 17 partners from Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Poland, has secured a research budget of nearly €8 million, with approximately €1.4 million allocated to FH Upper Austria.

Project partners include etp-ALICE, imec, the University of Antwerp, Pro Danube International, viadonau, Transport Trade Services (TTS), voestalpine, Chasqee, RSOE, Transporeon, 4shipping, De Vlaamse Waterweg, AI Cargofoundation, Panteia, Frequentis, and Inuits.

Consortium member voestalpine, a major user of the Rhine–Main–Danube Corridor, regards the digitalization of the entire supply chain as a key lever for improving efficiency, transparency, and sustainability. Through HERFRIED, innovative solutions can be developed and tested along the entire value chain—from raw material procurement to final delivery. Close collaboration among the project partners is expected to generate valuable insights for data-driven decision-making and contribute to more resilient supply chains.

Bringing Digitalization to Inland Waterway Transport
What exactly will HERFRIED deliver? The project will digitally connect inland waterway transport processes with relevant companies and other transport modes. As Putz-Egger explains: “We are creating the complete digital integration of inland waterway transport into multimodal logistics chains—from smart vessels and infrastructure to standardized data spaces and public administration.”

Project Manager Sophie Wiesinger sees HERFRIED as a unique opportunity: “We no longer look at transport as separate modes of transportation. Instead, we view it as one connected supply chain—and that is precisely what makes the digitalization of inland waterway transport so powerful.”

FH Upper Austria President Professor Michael Rabl also welcomes the project: “For an export-oriented industrial region such as Upper Austria, reliable and sustainable logistics is a key competitive factor. With HERFRIED, we are supporting research into the digitalization of inland waterways through an innovative project that further highlights the sustainability potential of this mode of transport.”

Seven Industry Pilots Across Europe
The research approach will be tested in seven industry-focused pilot projects along Europe’s key transport corridors:

• Rhine–Main–Danube
• Seine–Scheldt
• Danube–ARA Ports corridor

The pilots will focus on both general and bulk cargo as well as multimodal freight flows, including container transport. HERFRIED builds on existing platforms and links relevant data seamlessly with higher-level logistics systems through the HERFRIED Smart Framework and the HERFRIED Process Space.

As public-sector stakeholders are involved in the project, relevant legislation, standards, and regulations will be considered and further developed throughout implementation. HERFRIED also aims to provide policymakers with recommendations for creating framework conditions that encourage greater use of waterways for freight transport.

The Upper Austrian business agency Business Upper Austria supported the proposal through a comprehensive proposal review process. Funding expert Sonja Sesser explains: “We reviewed the proposal’s content, formal requirements, and strategic positioning and provided feedback that FH Upper Austria incorporated into the final application.”

HERFRIED is currently in the grant agreement preparation phase and is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2026, with a project duration of three years.

Why the Name HERFRIED?
The project’s name honors Herfried Leitner, Managing Director of one of the Danube region’s largest shipping companies, Transport Trade Services (TTS), and the originator of the vision behind the project. His leadership and commitment have played a key role in bringing HERFRIED to life.

HERFRIED receives funding under the Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-10 – Integrating Inland Waterway Transport in Smart Shipping and Multimodal Logistics Chains, Grant Agreement No. 101318845. 

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