Innovation Award forPRO Binnenschifffahrt
ESA Alliance honours industry campaign at the STL trade fair in Kalkar
A strong signal for a frequently underestimated industry: the PRO Binnenschifffahrt campaign has been awarded the Inland Navigation Innovation Award 2025. With this recognition, the ESA Alliance and the trade magazines Binnenschifffahrt and Schifffahrt und Technik honour a communication initiative that brings inland navigation into the spotlight it deserves.
The campaign is led by the Munich-based agency JFK089, with Nicarus as a cooperation partner.
Public perception of inland navigation does not reflect its actual importance for the economy, the environment, and mobility. As a sustainable mode of transport, it not only relieves pressure on the road network but also saves significant amounts of CO₂ compared to road freight transport. Despite these advantages, its role in the public consciousness has so far remained marginal.
To change this, the Federal Association of German Inland Navigation (Bundesverband der Deutschen Binnenschifffahrt, BDB) launched the PRO Binnenschifffahrt campaign in 2024. Its goal is to make the economic and ecological relevance of the sector more visible to policymakers, businesses, and society. Equally important is attracting young talent to the diverse career opportunities within inland navigation.
The central platform www.pro-binnenschifffahrt.de forms the backbone of the initiative. It presents topics such as waterway infrastructure, sustainable logistics chains, the energy transition, and career profiles in a way that is tailored to different target audiences. The website is complemented by press relations and a broad social media mix: LinkedIn addresses decision-makers, while Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube aim to inspire young people to explore career paths and training opportunities in inland navigation.
ESA Alliance recognises campaign’s strong signal
On 23 September 2025, the campaign was honoured with the “Inland Navigation Innovation Award 2025” at the Shipping Technics Logistics (STL) trade fair in Kalkar. Sponsored by the ESA Alliance, the award recognises innovative concepts that strengthen the industry and create impact beyond the sector itself.
Roland Hamata, Head of Inland Navigation Underwriting at Allianz Esa, emphasised: “PRO Binnenschifffahrt demonstrates in an exemplary way how professional communication can strengthen the industry’s public image and create new momentum.”
The jury consisted of representatives from Allianz Esa as well as the editorial teams of the renowned trade magazines Binnenschifffahrt and Schifffahrt und Technik. In particular, they praised the campaign’s courage to go beyond traditional communication channels and engage new target audiences.
From idea to success in ten months
The campaign’s success confirms the approach: within just ten months, the number of supporters increased from an initial 19 to 28, recently joined by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (Bundesministerium für Digitales und Verkehr, BMDV). This broad backing has made it possible to extend the campaign beyond its original one-year timeframe and continue it in the long term.
“The award is a strong signal of the importance of inland navigation in public perception. With PRO Binnenschifffahrt, we are bringing together the strengths of numerous companies and institutions to make the sector more visible and future-ready,” said Martin Staats, member of the BDB Executive Board and CEO of MSG eG, during the award ceremony.
“The award belongs to all supporters who sustain the initiative through their contributions, publications, networks, and content. As a long-term campaign, our goal is to continuously raise awareness, and additional supporters are always welcome,” added BDB Managing Director Jens Schwanen.
Nicarus on board as digital partner
The Munich-based agency JFK089 developed the concept and the brand and is responsible for leading the campaign. Nicarus acts both as a strategic sparring partner and as the operational lead for media relations, Google Ads, and the social media channels Instagram and TikTok.
Together with JFK089, Nicarus also ensures that the campaign communicates effectively across each channel and unfolds its full impact with targeted content that resonates with the everyday realities of its audiences without sacrificing depth of information.
The success of this collaboration shows that good communication is not an end in itself, but a key tool for driving change. The campaign highlights how crucial strategically aligned public relations are for the long-term viability of system-relevant industries.
Communication as a bridge to the future
The award for the campaign is not only a recognition of creative and effective communication, but also a call to keep going. PRO Binnenschifffahrt demonstrates that when many stakeholders pull in the same direction, even a seemingly slow-moving industry can position itself dynamically in public discourse, in attracting new talent, and in strengthening its political relevance.
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