A look back at TRA 2026 in Budapest

The Transport Research Arena (TRA) 2026 in Budapest once again demonstrated its role as one of Europe’s leading platforms for exchange between academia, industry and policymakers in the fields of transport and logistics. Under this year’s theme, “Re-Generation in Transport”, our colleagues from ISL actively participated in discussions, presented research findings and engaged in valuable networking opportunities with international experts.

The ISL delegation, including Prof. Dr. Nils Meyer-Larsen, Dr. Marija Jović Mihanović and Rainer Müller, contributed several research posters and took part in discussions on current developments in sustainable mobility and transport transformation. Topics included resilience strategies for inland waterway transport, hydrogen and Power-to-X applications in Bremen, and international port logistics use cases supporting the transition of North Sea ports.

A particular highlight of this year’s TRA was the exchange with key European partners and initiatives driving the decarbonisation of the transport sector. Especially noteworthy was the meeting with the Clean Hydrogen Partnership (CHS), where current EU activities and strategic developments in hydrogen innovation and infrastructure were discussed. The conversations highlighted the importance of coordinated research and innovation efforts in enabling scalable zero-emission solutions for maritime transport and logistics.

Another important milestone was the visit to the booth of ALICE – the Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe. Discussions focused on current initiatives, collaborative innovation approaches and future perspectives for European cooperation in logistics research. Both meetings underlined the crucial role of strong partnerships in shaping resilient and sustainable transport systems across Europe.

In addition, the ISL team engaged in discussions on forward-looking concepts for zero-emission shipping, particularly within the context of the sHYpS project and the development of a liquid hydrogen-powered passenger vessel. These exchanges highlighted the importance of integrated ecosystems for the successful implementation of future maritime energy solutions.

Beyond the official programme, TRA 2026 offered numerous opportunities for informal exchange, new connections and the strengthening of existing partnerships. Once again, the conference proved to be a valuable platform for advancing innovation and collaboration within the European transport sector.

ISL returns from Budapest with new insights, strengthened partnerships and valuable impulses for ongoing and future research activities in sustainable logistics and mobility.