Navigating the Green Transition: Highlights from the Brussels event

On 23 September 2025, CRPM – Atlantic Arc Commission, a partner of the SMARTDEC project, organised a European event at the Port of Brussels, held back-to-back with Green Shipping Day 2025, focused on the maritime green transition.
SMARTDEC, coordinated by Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique and co-financed by Interreg Atlantic Area, brought together policymakers, representatives of European institutions and maritime and port stakeholders from Atlantic regions across Europe. They exchanged views, shared project advances, and discussed needs and priorities in decarbonising maritime transport.

A Workshop Anchored in the Dynamics of the SMARTDEC Project

This workshop was organised by CRPM – Atlantic Arc Commission, a project partner of SMARTDEC, as part of the activities foreseen under the project.
It forms part of an ongoing dialogue and sharing process among European actors on the challenges of maritime decarbonisation.

A structured programme to explore transition levers

The event unfolded through several highlights. An opening session set the European political and strategic context for maritime decarbonisation.
This was followed by presentations of three transnational initiatives, including SMARTDEC, illustrating active developments in the Atlantic region.
Two interactive co-creation sessions enabled participants to debate how to embed the green transition into future European strategies and design a flagship Atlantic initiative for green maritime corridors.
The workshop concluded with a tour of the Port of Brussels, showcasing local initiatives in port energy transition.

Transnational initiatives in the spotlight

During the transnational initiatives session, Sébastien Cann, representing Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique (SMARTDEC coordinator), spoke alongside Geneviève Brisson (Quebec Delegation to the EU) and Tim Scarbrough (Ricardo Consulting).
He presented the objectives and early achievements of SMARTDEC, notably the mapping of stakeholders and technologies in the Atlantic area, the creation of the SMARTDEC network, and ongoing efforts to support innovation and accompany the maritime energy transition

Co-creating European maritime policies

The two co-creation sessions yielded structured discussions around two core themes:

• European strategies: participants debated how future European strategies for ports and the maritime industry might better support decarbonisation of the Atlantic fleet. Topics included the roles of small and medium ports, port transformation into energy hubs, and governance and investment frameworks.
• Towards an Atlantic flagship initiative: participants exchanged ideas on criteria for green maritime corridors, possible governance models, and incentives to engage shipowners and port authorities. The notion of ambitious energy targets and their adaptation according to port size also emerged in the discussion.

These debates contribute to the collective reflection at European level and within SMARTDEC on the maritime green transition.

Mobilisation from the SMARTDEC consortium

Sébastien Cann (Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique), Élise Wattrelot (CRPM) and Boris Tellant (Atlanpole) each played an active role in representing the SMARTDEC project during the event.
Élise Wattrelot oversaw coordination and moderated debates, while Boris Tellant co-led an interactive session alongside her.

This mobilisation highlights the deep involvement of SMARTDEC partners in European discussions on maritime transition.