On April 29, 2025, the international conference of the REDU-CE-D project was successfully held in Vienna, hosted by project partner ECCO Rail GmbH. The event brought together project partners, regional and national stakeholders, transport service providers, and SMEs to foster discussion and collaboration on energy transition in the transport sector across Central Europe.
The conference opened with a welcome speech by Gino Pfister of ECCO Rail GmbH, followed by a presentation of the REDU-CE-D project by Hrvoje Spremić from Dubrovnik Airport Ltd., who outlined the project’s objectives, achievements, and ongoing activities.
A key moment of the morning session was the presentation of the selected best practices for monitoring and controlling energy consumption and environmental impacts, delivered by Klemen Sredenšek from the University of Maribor. These practices, collected and analysed during the first phase of the project, aim to inspire effective and scalable solutions within the transportation sector.
The following presentation by Tamás Andrejszki of Freeport of Budapest Logistics Ltd. introduced the REDU-CE-D Strategy, an innovative approach designed to guide the energy transition of transport systems in Central Europe. The strategy supports stakeholders in embracing sustainable and zero-carbon energy sources.
The conference then moved into a participatory phase with working tables where attendees collaborated on the customisation of Energy Management System (EMS) packages, a core activity of the project. The results of these discussions were presented in a plenary session after lunch, offering insights into practical needs, opportunities, and local priorities.
The event concluded with a reflection on future challenges in transitioning toward climate-neutral transport modes, highlighting the importance of ongoing cooperation among public and private actors.
In the afternoon, participants visited the WienCont terminal, gaining a direct view of an operational logistics hub and its energy management practices.
This conference served as an important dissemination moment for the results of WP1, while also gathering valuable inputs for the customisation of EMS support packages. It further promoted the REDU-CE-D Strategy and contributed to building consensus toward the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for its uptake.
By promoting open dialogue, the event reinforced the project’s mission to support a sustainable, innovative, and collaborative energy transition in the transport sector, paving the way for a climate-neutral Central Europe.