Italia-Croatia

22/06/2026

The Final Conference was successfully held on 18 June 2026 in Zadar, Croatia, bringing together project partners, public authorities, researchers, industry representatives, port authorities, and other stakeholders committed to advancing sustainable and low-emission transport solutions in the Adriatic region.

The conference provided an opportunity to present the project's key achievements, showcase its outputs, and discuss future perspectives for the integration of hydrogen into maritime transport and mobility systems.

Project achievements and key results

The conference opened with welcome addresses by Marina Dujmović Vuković from the Zadar County Development Agency ZADRA NOVA and Hrvoje Grancarić on behalf of the Interreg Italy–Croatia 2021–2027 Programme Joint Secretariat.

An overview of the project's objectives, activities, and achievements was presented by Borana Vlastelić from the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies, the Lead Partner of the project. The presentation highlighted TransH2's contribution to strengthening cross-border cooperation and supporting the transition towards low- and zero-emission maritime transport through the development of strategies, analyses, and practical tools for hydrogen deployment.

Project partners also presented the main results achieved within the project's work packages:

• Sonja Sočivica (Urbanex) presented the key outputs of Work Package 1 
• Kristin Zurić (Navalprogetti Srl) provided an overview of the achievements under Work Package 2
• Marina Kopjar (Croatian Chamber of Commerce) showcased the results and activities implemented within Work Package 3. 

Hydrogen and the future of sustainable mobility

The thematic part of the conference focused on the role of hydrogen in the decarbonisation of maritime transport and the wider mobility sector.

Dražen Vrhovski (EERING) presented the contribution of TransH2 to the development of zero-emission mobility in the Adriatic, highlighting the importance of pilot activities, route assessments, and stakeholder engagement in creating favourable conditions for future hydrogen deployment.

Further insights were provided by Gea Miščević from the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies, who explored the opportunities and challenges of integrating hydrogen into transport networks and supporting the decarbonisation of mobility systems.

Participants also had the opportunity to learn from the experience of the Port of Trieste, presented by Roberta Manzi from the Port Network Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea. The presentation focused on port decarbonisation strategies and demonstrated how cooperation projects can support the green transition of maritime infrastructure.

Looking beyond the project lifetime, Michela Giarle from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region discussed opportunities and challenges related to the capitalisation of project results and their long-term contribution to sustainable transport development in the Adriatic area.

The conference concluded with a presentation by Josip Surjan (Eko d.o.o.), who  introduced innovative approaches to hydrogen production through the energy recovery of Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF), providing an additional perspective on future energy solutions.

Looking ahead

The discussions confirmed that achieving a sustainable and low-emission maritime sector requires continued cooperation between public authorities, ports, research institutions, industry representatives, and other stakeholders. The results achieved through TransH2 provide a valuable foundation for future initiatives, investments, and policies supporting the deployment of hydrogen technologies across the Adriatic region.

As the project approaches its conclusion, the Final Conference marked an important milestone in showcasing achievements, sharing knowledge, and reinforcing the collective commitment to advancing hydrogen innovation and supporting the green transition of maritime transport.

👏 THANK YOU to all speakers, project partners, and participants for their valuable contributions, active engagement, and commitment throughout the conference and the entire TransH2 project journey.