The project aimed at promoting, stimulating and introducing in innovation three well-chosen sectors of the maritime economy and to initiate (cross border) collaborations between SMEs and/or technology providers. The sectors - security & logistics, marine renewable energy and fishing - were chosen after local impact and market studies. TIME aimed at encouraging and supporting cross-border business, academic and technological cooperation and at initiating a sustainable relation between companies, R&D centers and professional organizations in the three participating regions (Nord-Pas-de-Calais, South East England, Flanders). In other words, TIME aimed at setting up a matching process between the needs of firms identified in the supply chain of maritime activities, and business or technological opportunities, proposed by firms or research labs, technical centers and knowledge centers.
The objectives were for each sector:
- visits of companies, technology providers and professional organizations of the three sectors and learning to know their innovation challenges (demand) and/or their technology solutions (offer),
- matching offer and demand in concrete collaboration projects,
- organization of a professional event bringing together the partners involved (companies, technology providers, professional, organizations, authorities)
- initiating continuation of the relationships built by bringing together professional organizations of the sectors in an interregional professional club.

The following activities were implemented:

Phase 1 - Desk studies

Initially, six activity sectors were chosen (Shipping industry, Logistics, Security, Fishing, Renewable Energy, Sports & leisure). A report was drawn up for each sector in each region. This resulted in eighteen regional reports and further in six trans-regional reports – one for each sector – that focused on the differences, similarities, complementary and collaboration opportunities in the three regions. Finally, this resulted in the selection of the three activity sectors to be fully explored in the TIME project: Security & Logistics, Maritime Renewable energy and Fishing/Aquaculture.

Phase 2 - Broad mapping survey

This was mainly realized through visits of key players in the three sectors in each region (companies, professional organizations, technology providers, public bodies, ….). These gave a practical view on, amongst others, the supply chain of the different sectors and allowed a better understanding of the main problem and opportunity areas.

Phase 3 - Matching process

Through intensified company visits, specific problems and innovation opportunities could be identified. This led to cross border contacts between companies, technology providers and professional organizations either on an individual and case by case basis or in an organized way in so called “collaboration workshops” both regional and interregional organized by the TIME project partners.

The TIME activities lead to the following results:

- 234 companies visited (66 FR – 148 BE – 20 EN),

- 43 technology providers visited (18 FR – 20 BE – 5 EN),

- 50 collaboration meetings organised,

- 20 collaborations initiated – both national and cross border,

- 8 cross boarder collaboration agreements.

This general overview shows that the quantitative objectives of the TIME project are more than achieved concerning the number of participating companies and technology providers. All these contacts resulted in fifty collaboration meetings between companies or technology providers. From these meetings almost twenty collaborations (both national and cross border) were initiated and finally, eight cross border collaborations were initiated (among which one at the beginning of 2013).

In order to optimize the contacts with individual companies, resulting from company visits and collaborative workshops, two types of activities to stimulate cross border collaborations were organised: professional event meetings and professional club meetings. This was also part of the project proposal.

Professional event meetings had the objective of bringing, for each of the maritime sectors, companies and technology providers together around specific needs or technology offers. The professional club meetings had to take care and prepare the sustainability of the project after the project period. They are designed as professional “value chain clubs” for each of the sectors with the objective to communicate and disseminate the results of TIME to local authorities and specific professional organisations specialised in the matter of the participating regions.

Due to reasons already explained (reduced involvement of the UK partner), main benefits of the project as regard to collaboration projects were realised in Flanders and Nord-Pas de Calais region. As for the professional events on energy and security & logistics, there was also significant UK involvement.

In general, the most important outcome for the territories involved are mainly new and renewed cross border contacts between companies, research institutions, professional organizations and authorities of which we are confident many will last long after TIME closure. The TIME project brought people together that were interested and motivated to exchange experience and knowledge in an open atmosphere. In the end, collaboration is all about people.

A fundamental added value of the project is to have shared many good practices that have allowed us to build tools and efficient methods for the benefit of the SMEs from our territories. We shared our different cultures of innovative SMES to develop joint operational and homogeneous activities: diagnosis, databases, tools for matching...

The European project TIME also had significant impacts on the local context. It allowed many local authorities to see the impact and added value of European projects on their territory. This gave them a better view of European policies and international openness. It is also a great way to heighten awareness on European projects. Professional events or certain communication events are good examples of this awareness.

In addition, we found that European projects like TIME was a window for local partners who are not familiar with European projects. This has allowed many local partners (from each country) to meet, share informations, stay connected, and for certain organisms, to think about common project. We can for example mention: Pôle Medee and Green Bridge, Nausicaa, ILVO and Vis en Seizoenen or CITC and Game Industry North...

No formal partnership was established with other European projects. However, during the project period, we had a few interactions with other European projects, in particular :
- Mr Goodfish : European project led by Nausicaa which participated in some working groups of the TIME project,
- 2OM : INTERREG IVA FR/UK project dedicated to the offshore wind energy which participated to our professional club on renewable energy.
The participation of the TIME project manager to a conference organised by PATCH allowed to create synergies between TIME and PATCH partner companies.

The main messages we would like to share are:

- There are difficulties to adapt the time frame of the project with companies’ business strategy.

- The interactions between partners accelerate the acquisition of knowledge and know-how, facilitate the sharing of the different cultures and generate openness.

- It is important to have regular meetings between the project partners and the referents of INTERREG: exchanges are a key success factor(especially with the JTS).

- The TIME project privileged a cross-sector approach to generate innovation (contactless technologies vs. ports logistics, game industry vs. ports security…).

One of the objectives of the project was to create cross border professional clubs in partnership with specialized organisms (contactless technologies, maritime safety ...) or chambers of commerce. These clubs have now been established. It is now the role of these organisms to support the animation of these specialized clubs to strengthen exchanges on technological or commercial matters. Moreover, different tools and methods developed in the project will be transferred to these organisms to facilitate the animation of the clubs. It should be added that the partners of the project continue to use it in their local or international approach of the partnership between SMEs and resources specialized in technology transfer.

Partners were very satisfied with their collaboration. Their complementary and their exchanges strengthened their synergies and generated significant added value. Partners wish to continue their collaboration. They developed a substantial database with business and technology resources centers that they jointly operate.

They will have the opportunity to work together during their daily activity, especially when they will have to promote international exchanges between SMEs and technology resource centers in the area of the maritime economy. They will also cooperate in particular at meetings of cross border professional clubs which can initiate exchanges in technology or business.

In addition, the three partners are very involved in supporting innovative SMEs projects in their area. They have developed specific tools and methods to facilitate the implementation of innovative projects: they do not exclude to participate together in a new European project concerning the development of innovative SMEs.

The TIME project is fully consistent with the smart growth pillar of the EU 2020 strategy. Indeed, it can develop into SMEs new products or new services which have the effect of generating more growth and jobs. In the different cases, we worked on, we have shown that the use of technological cross-border skills (non-existent or less efficient locally) promote the development of competitive advantages for SMEs.

It also allows us to say that this project integrated the objectives of the flagship initiative Innovation Union. Many activities of this project aimed to foster innovation in the context of energy efficiency. In addition, by working on all SMEs functions, we helped companies to identify and prevent the risk of their project, we contributed to strengthen linkages within the innovation chain (from suppliers and customers in particular), and thus facilitated the commercial development in some young markets.

The tools and methods developed in this project will be integrated in our structural offer for SMEs. At the moment, we have no plan to continue this project in the context of a European project. However, it seems appropriate to continue to work on the themes of innovative SMEs in the maritime economy, the strategy of SMEs in the maritime economy, and technology transfer in this sector. Thanks to the combination of these three topics, we will be able to build a new European project.