Overall Objective of the Project

The overall objective of the project “RSP-VIP” is to increase the use of renewable energy and reduce the use of fossil fuels to make waterborne transport greener, especially passenger transport in the EU, along the Core Network Corridor Rhine-Danube.

This will be done by enhancing mooring infrastructure and ensuring the availability of green, well-equipped, state-of-the-art mooring places on the Austrian Danube.

The proposed project will upgrade sixteen (16) public mooring places in Vienna, at REICHSBRÜCKE (13) and at FREUDENAU (3), which will be equipped with the latest state-of the-art and easy-to-use onshore electricity supply (OPS) for cruise vessels (for full season operation) that comply with current and future quality standards and contribute to the overarching EU target of climate change mitigation.

The achievement of that objective will contribute to the targets set out in the EU Green Deal for transport and mobility and lead to the following results:

• saving approx. 6.500 tons of CO2 per year, 110.500 tons of CO2 until 2042
• reducing NOx emissions by 59,1 tons per year, 1.004,7 tons of NOx until 2042
• NMHC by 2,96 tons per year, 50,32 tons of NMHC until 2042 and
• PM by 1,67 tons, 28,39 tons of PM until 2042
• noise emission reduction caused by diesel aggregates below the 40dB level.

Through these upgrades, the proposed project “RSP-VIP” shall lead to:

• Improved environmental protection by decreasing emissions from diesel aggregates with installation of on-shore electricity facilities.

• Improved living conditions for neighboring inhabitants near mooring stations by decreased noise emissions from diesel aggregates by executing an obligatory connection of any (cruise) ship at the mooring exceeding a mooring time of 2 hours.

• Further support to the uptake of innovative and easy-to-use solutions of OPS by installing the latest technologies (energy terminals) in 16 mooring sites along the Austrian stretch of the Danube.

• The setting of a benchmark and a best practice example for other mooring owners and operators to follow, in turn leading to an increase in cruise vessel operators using the facilities due to minimal need of extra handling for vessel crew members. The project also therefore supports cruise vessel operators in their climate change und sustainability efforts, in addition to the development of their sustainable tourism offer.

• Increased acceptance of inland waterway transport in the region and along the river Danube amongst administration and inhabitants near mooring stations.

• Improved image of inland waterway (passenger) transport as a form of green mobility becoming greener, contributing to EU targets regarding mitigating climate change.

In conclusion, the project will lead to an increased use of cruise vessels, shifting tourism travel from road to inland waterways and to a decrease in the environmental footprint of passenger transport in Europe.

The project was planned and will be executed by the main beneficiary, WIEN ENERGIE GMBH, Austria’s largest regional energy provider and subsidiary of the municipal utility company Wiener Stadtwerke. WIEN ENERGIE GMBH will then also operate the OPS in the regional territory of Vienna, in the period from 2023 to 2025