25–26 May 2026 | Lisbon, Portugal
Following the First Announcement, the Organising Committee is pleased to publish the Second Announcement and Call for Papers for DeWaTra 2026 – the 1st International Conference on Decarbonising Waterborne Transportation.
The conference is organised by the University of Lisbon through the Centre for Marine Technology and Ocean Engineering (CENTEC) and supported by COST Action CA23159 – Decarbonising Waterborne Transportation (DeWaTra). The event will take place at the Congress Centre of Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) in Lisbon, Portugal.
DeWaTra 2026 will bring together researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and practitioners addressing the urgent challenge of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in maritime and inland waterborne transport. The conference will provide a high-level scientific forum for presenting innovative technologies, operational strategies, and regulatory approaches that contribute to sustainable and environmentally responsible shipping. It aims to foster collaboration across academia, industry, and regulatory bodies, while supporting evidence-based decision-making in the transition towards zero- and low-emission transport.
The programme will address, among others, the following key themes:
- Short- and long-term emission reduction strategies
- Advances in ship design and propulsion systems
- Alternative fuels and renewable energy integration
- Atmospheric emissions assessment
- Hydrodynamic optimisation for energy-efficient performance
- Onboard decision-support systems for energy-efficient ship operation
A special highlight of the conference is the DNV Vessel Efficiency Challenge, which will provide anonymised operational, sensor, weather, and routing data for performance analysis. Participating teams will be invited to develop and submit evidence-based proposals for operational efficiency improvements or viable retrofit solutions to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Submission and Publication
Authors are invited to submit extended abstracts (approximately two A4 pages) via the conference website. Accepted abstracts will be presented at the conference. Authors will subsequently have the opportunity to submit full papers for peer review and publication in a volume by CRC Taylor & Francis.
Important Dates
- Abstract Submission Deadline: 31 March 2026
- Early Bird Registration: 15 April 2026
- Full Paper Submission: 30 June 2026
Further information on the conference programme, submission guidelines, and registration is available at:
http://www.centec.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/dewatra
The Organising Committee warmly encourages the academic and professional community to submit contributions and disseminate this announcement within relevant networks.
We look forward to welcoming you to Lisbon in May 2026.
