On 17–18 June 2025, the FLEXSHIP consortium held its M30 General Assembly in a hybrid format, hosted at Damen Shipyards in Gorinchem, The Netherlands. Organized by DAMEN and coordinated by BRING, the event gathered representatives from all 16 partner organizations, offering a dynamic platform to assess progress, exchange expertise, and strategically align for the upcoming stages of the project.
The meeting opened with a warm welcome from DAMEN and BRING, setting the tone for two productive days of engagement and technical dialogue. The first day was dedicated to consortium activities and the first half of the technical workshop, focusing on Component Integration. Partners RINA, WABTEC, ABEE, ELKON, KOCAELI, NTNU, and DNV shared insights into system harmonization, highlighting key integration challenges and proposed solutions.
Afternoon sessions featured a series of executive updates. FHG IISB presented the final review and closure of WP2, while ABEE, DNV, and NTNU provided status overviews for WPs 3, 4, and 5 respectively. These presentations underscored critical milestones reached in system development, safety, and demonstration readiness. The day concluded with a guided tour of Damen Shipyards and a networking dinner in the historic centre of Gorinchem, strengthening the consortium’s collaborative ties.
The second day continued with the technical workshop, now turning to Control, Communication, and Power Interfacing, again led by ELKON, WABTEC, RINA, ABEE, NTNU, and DNV. This session focused on the operational backbone of the FLEXSHIP systems, addressing interoperability and performance. INNVOTEK then presented the executive status of WP6, followed by WEGEMT’s update on WP7, which focused on training, dissemination, and knowledge-building activities.
After a short break, BRING facilitated a review of WP8 and the project’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), helping partners assess the broader impact and ensure alignment with FLEXSHIP’s strategic objectives. This was followed by a consortium-wide risk assessment and a collaborative session to agree on critical follow-up actions. The assembly concluded with a formal call for quorum and closing remarks thanking participants for their valuable contributions and wishing everyone a safe journey home.
The M30 General Assembly served as a key checkpoint in the FLEXSHIP timeline, reaffirming the consortium’s shared commitment to accelerating maritime innovation through decarbonisation, digitalisation, and collaborative integration. With strengthened partnerships and a clearer path ahead, the consortium now moves confidently toward the next implementation phase—bringing FLEXSHIP one step closer to its transformative vision for zero-emission waterborne transport.
FLEXSHIP is funded by the EU Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement no. 101095863.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 101095863
