This comprehensive technical and operational guide provides practical support for planning and implementing small-scale autonomous ferry services across Central Europe. Building on the project’s technological and organisational insights, it translates pilot experiences and expert knowledge into a structured handbook for public authorities and mobility providers. The guide covers key aspects of design, operation, safety, regulatory compliance and stakeholder engagement, enabling the development of sustainable inland ferry connections. As a transferable and user-oriented solution, it supports replication, innovation and the long-term integration of autonomous ferry systems into regional mobility networks.

This comprehensive technical and operational guide supports the planning and implementation of small-scale, zero-emission ferry services across Central Europe. Drawing on the project’s technological, environmental and organisational insights, it translates pilot experiences into a structured, user-friendly handbook for public authorities and mobility providers. The guide addresses key aspects such as electrification options, charging infrastructure, operational models, regulatory considerations and stakeholder engagement, enabling the development of sustainable inland ferry connections. As a transferable solution, it fosters replication, innovation and the long-term integration of climate-neutral ferry services into regional mobility systems.

The Transnational Ferry Strategy will bring together project findings on regional and urban–rural linkages, state-of-the-art solutions, good practices, feasibility aspects, regulatory frameworks and lessons learned from pilot actions into a coherent strategic framework. The strategy will define a shared vision, mission and set of interventions to support the development of innovative, sustainable ferry services across Central Europe. By translating analyses and pilot experiences into practical guidance, the deliverable will enhance the usability, transferability and adaptability of project results, supporting policymakers and stakeholders in planning and implementing future-ready, low-carbon mobility solutions.

This output provides a sustainability and governance framework to ensure the long-term operation, financing, and institutional ownership of the project’s ferry solutions. It formalises cooperation structures for regional and cross-border stakeholders and defines models for maintaining and scaling autonomous or zero-emission ferry services beyond the project’s duration. By embedding tested approaches into regional and national transport strategies, the framework ensures that innovative ferry solutions remain operational, transferable, and integrated into sustainable mobility systems.