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Damen signs nine European Technology Roadmaps to drive maritime decarbonization by 2050. Damen Shipyards Group and other representatives of the European waterborne sector signed nine Technology Roadmaps at the Waterborne Leadership Event in Brussels. The roadmaps provide a shared framework for maritime research, development, and innovation, as well as the scale-up and market deployment of technologies, with decarbonization targets for 2035, 2040, and 2050. The Waterborne Technology Platform is the European cooperation platform for research, development and innovation (RD&I) in waterborne transport. It brings together shipbuilders, shipowners, ports, maritime suppliers, infrastructure and service providers, universities, research institutes and other maritime stakeholders from across Europe to work with the European Commission on a shared innovation agenda. The event brought together representatives from industry and the European Commission. Nineteen senior leaders from across the sector, including Damen Vice-President Martin Bloem, signed the Technology Roadmaps and formally presented them to Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism. From research to deployment. The Technology Roadmaps respond to the need to strengthen Europe's technological leadership and competitiveness while supporting a resilient and sustainable waterborne sector. They also contribute to the objectives of the recently published EU Industrial Maritime Strategy and EU Ports Strategy. Europe's competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy depend on a strong waterborne sector. Deploying European technologies strengthens Europe's global position, while resilient supply chains and a connected, innovative trans-European network underpin a competitive European value chain. "Europe has strong expertise and promising maritime innovations. The next step is to ensure that proven technologies are scaled up and brought to market more quickly. Through these roadmaps, public and private parties set out which technologies, financing, regulatory frameworks, and skills are needed to make that happen," stated Pieter Huyskens, Damen Group Director RD&I. Importance for the Netherlands. A strong European innovation policy for the maritime sector is particularly important for the Netherlands. The Dutch Government also underlines the importance of innovation in its Dutch Maritime Manufacturing Agenda. Dutch maritime companies and knowledge organizations, including Delft University of Technology, TNO and MARIN, participate in the Zero-Emission Waterborne Transport partnership. They help define the roadmaps and join forces in European research and innovation projects. Damen works at international, national and regional levels on technologies for decarbonization, digitalization, circularity and autonomous shipping. The publication of the roadmaps coincides with the European debate on the budget and innovation programs for the next Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034. Damen strongly advocates the continuation of a European Waterborne innovation partnership, which is key to decarbonizing the maritime sector and meeting Europe's climate targets. "The Netherlands is a maritime nation. To maintain that position, we must continue to invest in research, development and innovation, while also accelerating the demonstration, financing and deployment of new technologies. Damen is therefore actively contributing to the development of a successor to the European Waterborne Partnership and is counting on political support from the Netherlands," said Pieter Huyskens.

PortXL presents its 2026 cohort of 11 maritime startups and scale-ups. 3 minutes read Rotterdam, Sep 30, 2026. PortXL, the Rotterdam-based maritime startup accelerator, presents the 11 startups and scale-ups selected for its 2026 acceleration program. The cohort was chosen after vetting a global pool of applicants of more than 250 startups. It spans three focus areas relevant for the future of port and maritime: Maritime & Offshore, Energy & Infrastructure, and Dual Use. Since its founding in 2015, PortXL has connected startups and scale-ups with corporate partners, investors and mentors across the maritime, energy, logistics and chemical industries. Over the last ten years, 141 startups have been part of PortXL's acceleration program, boasting an impressive 76% survival rate. Over €202 million of funding has been raised by its alumni. "PortXL's second decade starts with a cohort that reflects where the sector is heading," says Koen Vogel, Director of PortXL. "Resilience, security and the energy transition are converging in the port and maritime sector, and these startups & scale-ups work right where they meet. Our shared goal over the coming weeks is to turn introductions into tangible value for both our partners and the founders." Discover more Aerospace & Defense Defense Industry Accelerator program The 2026 cohort will take part in an accelerator program running in Rotterdam from 6 October to 3 December. The 3 weeks of the program are focused on access to market, access to capital and establishing a network of peers and mentors. During this period, the cohort will come together in Rotterdam for three separate weeks to work with mentors and explore opportunities with its lead program partner Port of Rotterdam Authority and various innovation partners such as the Ministry of Defence and Municipality of Rotterdam. Additionally, PortXL is proud to welcome a number of new innovation partners to which the startups will be introduced, including Damen and Royal IHC. Together with this industrial network, the ecosystem and knowledge partners, the participating startups and the scale-ups will be taken to the next level in their development, actively contributing to a more sustainable, resilient, and efficient port & maritime industry. The 2026 PortXL startup and scale-up acceleration program's cohort consists of: Maritime & Offshore Marine Weather Intelligence Energy & Infrastructure Meterspersecond PointCanvas AetherionDefence Bluefins (France) Bluefins has developed a retrofittable auxiliary propulsion system for ships, shaped like a whale's tail, that reduces fuel consumption by up to 20 percent. The system is designed for all types of ocean-going vessels and targets a return on investment of three to five years. BioHalo (Denmark) BioHalo develops non-PFAS, biodegradable surface-modifying ingredients for coatings, including a biotech-based component for antifouling paint that could not previously be synthesized chemically and requires less energy to produce. Elnav (Croatia) Elnav builds human-in-the-loop maritime AI technology for the moments where onboard systems, procedures and professional judgement have to align, including active watchkeeping support, critical-procedure support and emergency leadership training. Marine Weather Intelligence (France) Marine Weather Intelligence provides weather routing and forecasting for shipping, offshore, heavy transport and towage, and yachts, aimed at reducing fuel use, emissions and operational risk. Shipsonic (The Netherlands) Shipsonic supplies ultrasonic antifouling technology that uses vibrations to keep ship hulls free of fouling without maintenance or chemicals, and is already in use by shipowners across the Netherlands. CLHYNN (France) CLHYNN has developed a fuel cell with its own integrated hydrogen source, built without rare metals, other critical raw materials or PFAS, positioned as a new form of decentralized energy. Meterspersecond (The Netherlands) Meterspersecond builds vertical wind turbines with double the energy density of conventional designs, developed as an alternative to diesel generators for powering dockside operations. PointCanvas (United Kingdom) PointCanvas turns 3D site scans of complex infrastructure into usable spatial insights within hours instead of weeks, and has already run a pilot in the Scottish oil and gas sector. AetherionDefence (Luxembourg) AetherionDefence builds an EU-sovereign distributed radar mesh that detects low-altitude drones around ports, critical infrastructure and defence sites, using distributed sensors to reduce the risk of individual sensor failure. Cleardrop (France) Cleardrop keeps optical sensors clear of rain, snow, salt residue, sand and mud using acoustic waves and a small amount of power, allowing autonomous systems to keep operating in conditions that would otherwise blind them. Copsys (Canada) Copsys develops a digital, self-sensing coating for ship hulls and infrastructure that supports antifouling, corrosion detection and proactive maintenance, reducing the need for manual visual inspection.