Information about the project
https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/roboriver
Funding programme: Danube Region Programme 2021 – 2027
Call: Seed Money Facility (SMF)
Priority Area 4: A better cooperation governance in the Danube Region
Specific Objective 4.1: Support for the governance of the EUSDR
Project duration: 12 months (1 September 2024 – 31 August 2025)
Partners:
- University of Zagreb Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences FPZ (HR) – Lead Partner
- Romanian Maritime Training Centre - CERONAV (RO)
- University of Montenegro, Faculty of Maritime Studies Kotor UoM (ME)
Project budget: EUR 62,500.00
Interreg (EU) Funds: EUR 50,000.00
Project description
The Seed Money Facility (SMF) is an instrument to kick-start the development of strategic projects and large-scale initiatives for the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUDISDR). These strategic projects can subsequently apply for funding through other funding instruments. The development phase funded by the SMF covers the analysis of the needs and challenges addressed by the main project, the preparation of the work plan, the establishment of the partnership as well as the analysis of possible funding instruments for it.
In the framework of ROBORIVER, CERONAV will coordinate Activities 1.2, 3.1, 3.2. and Output 3 - Report on funding possibilities, and will be involved within the limits of its expertise in the realization of the other project activities, including hosting a project meeting.
The structure of the project will be based on 3 predefined outputs:
- Report on the state of play of innovative pollution monitoring and protection of Danube River:
- State of play on the current innovative technologies’ deployment for monitoring of Danube River pollution;
- gap analysis
- Mapping target groups of the main project – activity coordinated by CERONAV.
Mapping of target groups will be performed coherent and consistent to main project objectives, regional context, and planned resources (human, financial) in a manner that potential target groups will be listed and assessed.
- Main project work plan, comprising of:
- work plan describing related activities, outputs, and foreseen results;
- planning potential project partnership;
- indicative budget plan.
- Report on funding possibilities – coordinated by CERONAV
- analysis of funding sources for the main project;
- road map of steps to be taken after finalisation of the seed money project
Context of ROBORIVER main project:
The Danube faces many pressures, including pollution from industrial chemicals, pesticides, nutrients and pharmaceuticals, as well as climate change. Keeping the Danube River clean is a common European concern and a huge challenge, given the number of tributaries and emerging substances that are discharged into the Danube River.
The status of the water bodies in the Danube River Basin is largely influenced by the input of pollutants caused by human and natural activities - in particular organic matter, nutrients, hazardous substances and plastics (i.e., accumulation and transportation of (macro) plastic waste along and in surface waters and contamination of waters with plastic micro-particles).
Of the emerging substances polluting water, plastics are the most diverse, being used in all sectors, which create problems in terms of plastic waste and its disposal in and along the Danube.
ROBORIVER, as the kick-off project of the main project, will focus on the development and deployment of innovative underwater robots for Danube pollution monitoring and environmental protection.
The main planned objective is the development of innovative underwater robotics for Danube pollution monitoring and protection of the Danube environment.
Expected results:
- Construction and development of innovative underwater robots;
- Newly developed training program for specific innovative skills.
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