SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DANUBE MACRO-REGION AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF INLAND PORTS
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DANUBE MACRO-REGION AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF INLAND PORTS:
AN ANALYTICAL ARTICLE. Institute of Danube Research. January. 2026
Abstract
The article analyzes the ecological, socio-cultural, and technological transformations of the Danube Macro-Region in the context of the transition toward sustainable development and the green modernization of inland ports. The study is grounded in an interdisciplinary approach proposed in the document “A Sustainable Future for the Danube River Basin as a Challenge for the Interdisciplinary Humanities”, which emphasizes the need to integrate humanities with natural sciences. Particular attention is given to the outcomes of the Green Inland Ports conference (2025), the GRIP and DMAT tools, and the Environmental Impact Calculator for ports. The analysis demonstrates that the ecological and digital transition of inland ports is not merely a technological process, but a complex socio-natural transformation.
Keywords: Danube Macro-Region, sustainable development, inland ports, digitalization, GRIP, DMAT, river ecosystems, EU transport policy.
1. Introduction
The Danube River Basin (DRB) covers nearly 800,000 km² and encompasses 19 countries, making it the most international river basin in the world. Its significance is difficult to overestimate: it simultaneously functions as a transport corridor, a geo-cultural space, an economic cluster, and a complex ecosystem. As emphasized in the referenced document, the history of human interaction with river landscapes spans millennia, and the current ecological condition of the Danube cannot be understood without considering historical practices of river resource management.
Alongside natural transformations, the Danube region is experiencing profound political and socio-economic changes, including the European integration of Ukraine and Moldova, the development of the TEN-T network, the implementation of the European Green Deal, and the intensification of port-related industries. A major milestone was the Green Inland Ports conference held in 2025, which presented the results of the GRIP project and outlined prospects for the digitalization of port systems.
These processes are deeply interconnected; therefore, research on the Danube requires interdisciplinarity and in-depth humanities analysis alongside ecological, legal, and engineering approaches.
2. The Danube as a Socio-Natural Complex: Theoretical and Methodological Foundations
2.1. The Concept of the River as a Socio-Natural Entity
The publication “A Sustainable Future for the Danube River Basin as a Challenge for the Interdisciplinary Humanities” emphasizes that rivers cannot be classified as purely natural or purely cultural entities. They are socio-natural systems in which ecological and human factors are inseparable; historical structures reflecting millennia of experience; geopolitical structures crossed by state borders and transport corridors; and cultural landscapes where identities, economic practices, and urban centers have emerged.
Consequently, any environmental policy must take into account the cultural memory of riverine communities.
2.2. Interdisciplinarity as the Key to Sustainable Planning
Sustainable planning requires, first and foremost, the integration of data from the natural sciences with socio-historical analysis and an understanding of the consequences of past interventions in river systems. It also necessitates the consideration of traditional land-use models, technological innovations adapted to local conditions, and interregional communication, taking into account the multilingual nature of the Danube area.
As noted in the publication, the lack of human and communicative competencies within interdisciplinary teams represents a serious barrier to sustainable development.
3. Environmental Challenges of the Danube Macro-Region
The main threats include changes in river channels and depths, the reduction of natural sediment transport, the degradation of wetlands, and restrictions on the natural dynamics of river ecosystems caused by dams and canals.
Contemporary pollution is multifaceted, encompassing agricultural chemicals, industrial effluents, microplastics, and untreated discharges from ports. The accumulation of heavy metals in the Danube Delta poses a particular danger.
It should also be noted that fishing activities have significantly declined over recent decades due to the degradation of spawning migrations, thermal changes in water, reduced flow regimes, and overfishing.
Global climate trends are leading to an increased frequency of floods and greater variability in average annual discharge.
4. “Green Inland Ports” as a Tool for Eco-Transformation
The Green Inland Ports conference marked a new phase in EU port policy. The GRIP project envisages:
– the creation of an Environmental and Sustainable Management System;
– testing of an Environmental Impact Calculator;
– the establishment of a network of green ports (Vienna, Constanța, Vukovar, Osijek);
– standardization of reporting;
– modernization of energy consumption.
These measures make it possible to reduce CO₂ emissions, minimize noise and light pollution, optimize land use, and introduce energy innovations such as shore power and hydrogen technologies.
5. Digitalization of Inland Ports: A Strategic Perspective
DMAT — Digital Multimodal Assessment Tool
This tool models logistics scenarios, incorporates environmental and transport indicators, and enables comparisons between different modes of transport. It can be argued that DMAT will become a foundation for integration into the TEN-T network and the EU IWT Vision.
Port digitalization undoubtedly transforms professional competency structures, requiring workforce training, increasing cybersecurity demands, and reshaping organizational models of port governance.
6. The Humanitarian Dimension of Sustainable Development: Toward a New Methodology
Key humanitarian challenges include:
– multilingualism of the region → the need for intercultural communication;
– historical memory → the perception of reforms depends on collective representations;
– legal fragmentation → differing legal regimes governing ports;
– synergy of cultural practices → local models of interaction with nature.
Without taking these factors into account, environmental reforms risk being ineffective.
7. Ukraine and Moldova within the Green Transformation of the Danube
For Ukraine:
– the ports of Reni, Izmail, and Ust-Dunaisk can become regional hubs of green logistics;
– participation in GRIP and DMAT is a pathway to integration into TEN-T;
– ecological modernization strengthens energy security.
For Moldova:
– the port of Giurgiulesti gains new development opportunities;
– its role in cross-border logistics with Romania and Ukraine is enhanced.
8. Conclusions
A sustainable future for the Danube region is possible only through the deep integration of ecological, technological, and humanitarian approaches. Data from the natural sciences must be combined with historical analysis, socio-cultural research, and economic analytics. The green transformation of inland ports, digitalization, and interdisciplinary governance constitute key components of Europe’s emerging environmental policy framework.