Date:
Location: Budapest, Hungary, during TRA 2026
The Seas to Skies side event at TRA 2026 is fully dedicated to research and innovation projects contributing to the implementation of the European Green Deal, with a particular focus on the decarbonisation and systemic transformation of ports, airports, and multimodal logistics hubs.
Bringing together STARGATE, TULIPS, OLGA, PIONEERS, and MAGPIE, the session showcases how these coordinated European initiatives support key Green Deal objectives, including climate neutrality, zero-emission transport, energy efficiency, and resilient transport infrastructure. The projects address the full innovation chain, from concept and demonstration to pathways for market uptake, highlighting how Green Deal ambitions are being translated into deployable solutions across aviation, maritime, and hinterland logistics.
Across a series of thematic sessions, the programme explores sustainable alternative fuels, the role of ports and airports as clean energy hubs, smart and autonomous mobility, and digitalisation and modelling tools that enable greener and more efficient operations. Contributions emphasise practical experiences from large-scale demonstrations, integration across modes and infrastructures, and the challenges of scaling up solutions in real operational environments.
The event also serves as a forum to discuss policy alignment, replication potential, and cross-sector cooperation, identifying how results from EU Green Deal projects can be transferred beyond pilot sites and embedded into European transport and logistics ecosystems. By connecting innovation from seas to skies, the session highlights the collective contribution of EU Green Deal projects to accelerating the transition towards cleaner, smarter, and climate-neutral transport systems in Europe.
Programme Day 1 – Tuesday, 19 May 2026
This session focuses on sustainable alternative fuels for ports and airports, addressing both the challenges of scaling up production and the development of efficient downstream supply chains.
The TULIPS project will present insights on upscaling SAF and future challenges at Schiphol, with contributions from Fokko Kroesen (SNBV). The STARGATE project will address the downstream SAF supply chain, presented by Elisabeth Woeldgen (UHasselt). Input from PIONEERS will complement the discussion.
Moderator: Valentin Rajon Bernard (To70)
This session explores the role of ports and airports as energy hubs, focusing on their contribution to resilience, sustainability and smart energy management.
The MAGPIE project will present how ports can evolve into resilient, smart and green energy hubs, with contributions from Tommaso Spanevello (HAROPA Port). The TULIPS project will address smart energy management, presented by Rogier Bleys. Input from PIONEERS will complement the discussion, with contributions from Maurici Hervas (Port of Barcelona).
Moderator: Octavia Stepan
This session focuses on smart and autonomous mobility, highlighting developments across inland waterways, airport operations and road transport.
The PIONEERS project will present semi-autonomous operations in inland waterway transport, with contributions from Ghazaleh Kia (Seafar). The STARGATE project will address autonomous mobility in an airside environment, presented by Pieter Leonard (BAC). The MAGPIE project will explore green electric trucking and autonomous charging, with contributions from Jaco van Meijeren (TNO).
Moderator: Gabriel Mialocq
Programme Day 2 – Wednesday, 20 May 2026
This session focuses on digitalisation and modelling solutions supporting cleaner and more efficient ports and airports.
The OLGA project will address its topic with contributions from Env-ISA (speakers tbc: Ayce Celikel, Dave Raper, Federica Crova). The MAGPIE project will present digital tools advancing decarbonisation and green logistics, with contributions from Zenaida Mourao (INESC-TEC). The STARGATE project will explore the use of Digital Twin in an airport built environment, with contributions from Niall Byrne (IES, tbc).
Moderator: Octavia Stepan
This session focuses on the re-generation of sustainable ports and airports, addressing market uptake, policy gaps, and the transferability of key exploitable results, as well as perspectives for future calls.
The OLGA project will contribute with insights from Irina Stipanovic (Infra Plan). The PIONEERS project will address these topics with contributions from Inge De Wolf (Port of Antwerp-Bruges). The STARGATE project will provide input from Charlotte Verreydt, while the MAGPIE project will be represented by Arne-Jan Polman. The TULIPS project will contribute with Karina Ospina.
Moderator: Gabriel Mialocq
Registration for this event is now open. Please complete the form below to secure your place.