De Vlaamse Waterweg nv: transforming inland waterways for a sustainable future

Challenge

De Vlaamse Waterweg nv faces the urgent need to modernise inland waterway transport while preparing for automation. 
The outdated infrastructure and limited communication systems of today: 

• hinder efficient logistics, 
• increase CO₂ emissions, 
• complicate coordination among stakeholders.  

These problems conflict with the ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. 

The challenge is amplified by the projected 26% increase in freight demand by 2040. Without innovation, road congestion will worsen, waterways risk losing competitiveness, and public space liveability may decline. European climate objectives make the urgency even clearer: immediate steps are needed to position inland waterways as a viable alternative to road transport. 

Existing systems are no longer adequate. Traditional logistics management tools lack real-time visibility, integration for automated shipping, and advanced analytics. For example, fragmented data flows make it difficult to anticipate traffic peaks or optimise vessel routes. These limitations create inefficiencies that prevent the sector from meeting growing demands sustainably. 

To remain attractive, De Vlaamse Waterweg nv must address these gaps through a digital transformation that combines physical infrastructure with innovative infostructure. Only by modernising both can it ensure that inland waterways become a competitive, resilient and environmentally friendly mode of transport. 

BDO’s tailored approach & solutions

BDO supported De Vlaamse Waterweg nv by applying and operationalising a predefined framework built around three core pillars: smart logistics, smart administration and smart shipping.  

This framework formed the backbone for the preparation of the European DigiWave subsidy application and ensured a coherent and robust structure for the overall proposal. 

The DigiWave proposal was structured around these three integrated solution pillars, addressing both operational and strategic challenges: 

• Smart logistics focused on improving efficiency and reducing emissions through optimised processes and IoT integration. 
• Smart administration aimed at simplifying collaboration and regulatory compliance via digital workflows. 
• Smart shipping addressed automation, including automated vessels, and integration within the synchromodal transport chain. By embedding machine learning and advanced analytics, the proposed solutions were designed to be future-proof and scalable. 

Building on our expertise, BDO adopted a structured and collaborative approach to translate the framework into a concrete and compliant European subsidy dossier. Through a series of workshops and stakeholder consultations, BDO actively contributed to shaping both the structure and the substantive content of the DigiWave application. These interactions helped identify bottlenecks in logistics, administration and technology, and allowed strategic ambitions to be converted into practical, measurable actions. 

Based on this framework, the overall objectives of DigiWave were organised into clearly defined work packages. For each work package, BDO helped define the scope, tasks, deliverables, milestones, quality standards and involved stakeholders. This approach ensured internal consistency across the dossier and full alignment with European funding requirements. 

A central component of BDO’s assignment was the preparation and follow-up of the Grant Agreement for DigiWave Phase 1 under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). This included: 

• drafting the complete proposal and all supporting documentation, 
• formalising the grant agreement, 
• defining milestones, deliverables, risk management measures and budgets, 
• identifying and structuring the relevant stakeholders per task and work package. 

In addition to the content-related support, BDO substantially relieved De Vlaamse Waterweg nv in the administrative reporting and follow-up of the entire subsidy dossier. BDO took an active role in coordinating reporting obligations, monitoring compliance with CEF requirements and supporting the financial and administrative follow-up throughout the process. This resulted in a correct, timely and complete dossier, ultimately enabling the maximum co-financing of all eligible and related expenditures within the DigiWave project. 

Through this structured, framework-driven and hands-on approach, BDO provided essential support in developing and managing a coherent, high-quality European subsidy application. The combination of methodological rigour, substantive expertise and strong administrative support contributed significantly to the success of DigiWave and to supporting the client’s ambitions in climate neutrality, innovation and the transformation of inland waterways. 

Impact & results

The support provided by BDO contributed to the structured translation and formalisation of an existing conceptual framework, based on three predefined pillars — smart logistics, smart administration and smart shipping — into a coherent European subsidy dossier for the DigiWave initiative. 

BDO supported De Vlaamse Waterweg nv in operationalising and substantiating this given structure in line with the requirements of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). Their contribution focused on converting the existing strategic and conceptual foundations into a compliant, well-documented and manageable subsidy application. 

Key results of this support included: 

• A clearly structured and well-substantiated subsidy dossier, whereby the existing three-pillar framework was consistently translated into concrete work packages, deliverables, milestones and governance elements. 
• Strengthened governance and transparency, achieved through the formalisation of roles, responsibilities, reporting structures and progress monitoring, ensuring alignment between stakeholders within the predefined programme structure. 
• Significant administrative relief, as BDO actively supported De Vlaamse Waterweg nv in the administrative reporting, coordination and follow-up of the full DigiWave subsidy dossier and Grant Agreement obligations. 
• Support in securing EU funding, resulting in the approval of the DigiWave Phase 1 Grant Agreement under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and enabling an optimal alignment with the applicable co-financing conditions for the related expenditures. 

By consistently applying the predefined three-pillar framework throughout the subsidy dossier, BDO helped ensure:

• a coherent and well-structured dossier;
• full compliance with regulatory requirements;
• readiness for each next project phase, without making claims about operational results or agency benefits.

This contribution created the necessary conditions for De Vlaamse Waterweg nv to further develop DigiWave within the boundaries of European funding rules, organisational capacity and long-term policy objectives.