The objectives of the project were:1. to develop concrete action plans identifying the next steps for regeneartion and territorial integration of the various partners port areas, 2. to develop a model to predict and demonstrate the economic impact of investments in part regeneration, 3. to implement port transformation measures, 4. to jointly identify and study the measures needed to provide adequate safety levels for maritime leisre use of transformed marinas, 5. to jointly design and implement community involvement programmes for the various partner communities, 6. to plan and deliver targeted activities and investments in community services and facilities to support port and coastal transformation programmes, 7. to dissiminate and transfer these experiences and aggregate tools to other stakeholders in the 2 Seas area.

The partners involved in Activity 1, 2 and 3 of Transcoast cooperate in the Joint Activity Teams Regeneration and territorial integration of port areas in transition’, Port Safety and Anchoring transformed ports in the community. The teams produced and presented the results of their cross-border cooperation in the compendium of tools in a booklet during the Final Transcoast Conference on 16 May 2013 in Colchester (UK). The booklets are distributed to many organisations, cities, companies and persons in the Transcoast and 2 Seas area.

The activities the Transcoast group implemented were:

Activity 1. (Regeneration and territorial integration of port area in transition: - Partner Dunkirk (F) studied for the reconversion of safety measures to reach the harbour and to construct a new harbour office, - Partner Hulst (NL) produced a study into possibilities and feasability of transformation of the disused harbour , - partner Tholen (NL) improved the access to the St. Annaland Marina, - Partner Schouwen-Duiveland (NL) designed a masterplan for the new Havenplein square as link between the city and the harbour, - partner Colchester (UK) improved the access to the Edward King Quay in the city, - partner Sluis (NL) created functional links betwee the centre of the city and the marina.

Activity 2 (Port Safety): - Partner Zeeland (project Perkpolder NL) studied and designed the modification to the port entrance and partner Dunkirk (F) studied to improve the safety of the distinction betwee the sea and the harbour to protect the waves.

Activity 3 (Anchoring transformation ports in communities): Partner Pioneer Sailing Trust (UK) established a skill development programme to educate young people to be employed in the maritime leisure indsutry, Partner Brightlingsea Harbour (UK) deliverd a recycling campaign and introduced a ferry link, partner Blankenberge (B) installed a new training centre for sea scouts. During the 8 partner meetings and extra Joint Activity meetings, the partners of Transcoast had the possibility to inform each others about the progress of their projects. By this exchange of knowledge, they were able to implement the experiences of other partners in their own projects. Beside this, some partners (and the LP) took the opportunity to share these knowledge with other organisations and companies in the 2 Seas area. The result of this part of the project was the publication and presentation of the compendium of tools in booklets with the parts Regeneration and territorial integration of port areas in transition’, Port Safety and Anchoring transformed ports in the community.

The LP organised the preparation of the project. After this successful action (with the great help of the Interreg facilitator and the JTS of the 2 Seas Programme) the project started in 2009. The main result of the project was the successful cross-border cooperation between the partners in the so called Joint Activity Teams. In these teams they worked together (and were able to learn from each other) on the subjects Regeneration and territorial integration of port areas in transition’, Port Safety and Anchoring transformed ports in the community. Besides this, the Lead partner and the partners took the opportunity to disseminate their knowledge of the Transcoast project to many organisations (governments) and companies who are involved in transformation of coastal areas. During many of those meetings they were also able to spread the knowledge of the Transcoast Economic Model. This study was realised by the LP and all the partners of the project. The Transcoast Economic Model offers all the ports in the North Sea region the opportunity to make a socio-economic forecast of the transformation process of ancient trading port to a marina. Beside the cross-border projects of Transcoast, the partners realised their own projects. The most important ones are: Dunkirk (F): Reconversion into a marina of a derelict harbour area bordering the town centre and renewal of outdated, sub-standard marina facilities and creation of a harbour office.

All partners can benefit from the results. That was obviously different for each subject, but the partners involved in the main activities Regeneration and territorial integration of port areas in transition, Port Safety and Anchoring transformed ports in the community, took full advantage of the experience and knowledge. In addition, all partners benefited from the development of the Transcoast Economic Model. This model has enabled them to measure the area of employment, social engagement and of course economic expansion. This model supports all partners and other organisations in the Transcoast area for further development of coastal and port areas.

Not only the 12 partners of Transcoast could benefit of the project and the knowledge gained, but also several organizations and companies in the area of the partners. Here below we will mention some examples of the transformations which have taken place with the partners and their areas in the 2 Seas programme:
LP, project Perkpolder: this partner could use the knowledge in the field of Port Safety, which has been gained in Dunkirk, in the further developments of the harbour area. Especially the measures which could have taken after the study in Dunkirk, are very opportune for the further set up of the plan in Perkpolder. Partner Pioneer Sailing Trust could benefit of the knowledge gained in especially Blankenberge and Schouwen-Duiveland. Pioneer has organized study tours to the cities concerned with her young new employees to exchange knowledge. The municipality of Hulst has used the knowledge from Dunkirk and Schouwen-Duiveland to start off project Walsoorden (harbour transformation) after the Transcoast period. The municipalities of Tholen and Schouwen-Duiveland have made a big progress in the redevelopment of the areas between the cities and the marinas thanks to Transcoast.
They have implemented the knowledge of Sluis and Colchester, and especially Colchester has been leading with the King Edward project. The development of a village near the water to a centre of activities in the field of water sports, transport and educational programmes in Brightlingsea, has been inspiring for several areas around the North Sea. Within Transcoast, especially the partners Sluis (project Breskens), Blankenberge and Tholen, could benefit by giving importance to the results in the further set up of their plan.

One of the principles of Transcoast was To share knowledge between partners make every partner stronger. We used much time to this item. We introduced the so called Joint Activity Teams (JAT) to give the partners the opportunity to share their knowledge. The partners of Transcoast worked together in these three thematic cross-border Joint Activity Teams each targeting one of the main issues: Regeneration and integration, Port safety and Communication engagement. This instrument had a strong added value to the crossborder cooperation. By this way they were able to implement the shared knowledge in their own projects (also after the Transcoast period). Without the EU funding this process was not started and facilitated. Without this exchange of studies, knowledge and inspiration the separate projects would be less succesfull. In that case every partner had to develop their own knowledge about transforming old port area's to modern marina's and leisure activities. This process had also an positive influence on the employment in the different cities. As exemple we show the Transcoast activities in Brightlingsea (UK). By sharing the knowledge of the Transcoast partners in the Joint Activity Teams Regeneration and integration and Communication engagement the two partners in Brightlingsea (Pioneer Sailing Trust and Brightlingsea Harbour Commissioners) were able to transform the city to a turntable of leisure activities (ferry etc.) and new emloyment for young people in the marine industry. This is only one example but the added value of the crossborder cooperation of investments in ports in Dunkirk, Perkpolder, Zierikzee, St. Annaland and Colchester is also demonstrably as we can see on the Transcoast website. Crossborder cooperation was one of the main issues of Transcoast and by the EU-funding the partners (and their areas) were able to implement the results of the Joint Activity Teams in their own area.

The Transcoast Lead Partner and some partners (Colchester, Dunkirk, Sluis and Schouwen-Duiveland) presented the activities during several external meetings. During these meetings we were able to share our knowledge and to contact organisations of other projects. In these cases we were able to enlarge the Transcoast network.

It was not so easy to finish this project with so many partners (12). As Lead Partner we learned it was very important to keep the group of partners together during the whole process. We convinced them all to participate in all the meetings, partner meetings and activities of the so called Joint Activity Teams. This way of working was succesful till the end of the project. Another important part of the project was the realisation of the Communication Stratagy. A communication manager in the management team of the Lead Partner is very important. In this way we were able to coordinate all the planned communication actions and to perform the several items of the communication plan (press releases, website, production of booklets with the resultas of the Joint Activity Teams etc.). By the help of the communication manager the partners were also able to organise several communication actions in the way of external communication in their own regions. And as Lead Partner we had the opportunity to cooperate very well with the JTS of the 2 Seas Programme. Their information and help to realise the project was very helpfull. In our opinion cooperation between the LP and JTS is important to realise succesful Interreg projects.

The effect of dissemination of the Transcoast knowledge was great. This is the total knowledge scattered over a large area, even outside partner's areas. This knowledge, in particular the transformation of coastal areas and the Transoast Economic Model will be used by many governmental organisations and companies in the period 2014-2020. Besides this, local and regional authorities will notify the knowledge of the three Joint Activity Teams and will use this knowledge when they plan new coastal transformations (in particular marina developments). The Transcoast Economic Model is used by the Transcoast partners Dunkirk, Colchster, Schouwen-Duiveland, Tholen, Sluis, Perkpolder and Hulst (beside this: all the Transcoast partners were involved in the development of the model and could use the model for their own area). They used the model in the planning of their harbour (of the gouvernement of the city) in the future. The gouvernement is very interested is the social and economic impact of the transformation of old ports to marinas and the leisure industry in these cities. Beside this cities like Oostend, Vlissingen and some harbours in SW England asked for more information about the model. During some meetings of other Interreg projects we had the possibility to introduce the model for many harbours in the UK and France (see Progress Report 6 and 7).

Transcoast has based a wide network around the Southern North Sea. This network was created through the efforts of the lead partner and the partners in (particular) the external meetings. Several Transcoast partners start a new Interreg project for the period 2014-2020 and in addition, some partners participate in the so called cluster projects or use their knowledge in new EU projects (Interreg in other areas). In addition, some partners will (especially municipalities) use their experience with Transcoast to participate in new activities because this Interreg project was the first step on European cooperation for them.

In particular, the developed Transcoast economic model will be used by many organizations in the future when they start with marina developments. The Province of Zeeland (The Netherlands) Zeeland Province (Lead Partner of Transcoast) has decided not to go act as Lead Partner in Interreg projects after 2013. This means that, the province will only be a partner in possible new projects. Regarding the work and investments carried out in 2013 : by Transcoast a basis has been laid for further activities in many areas. This means that especially in port areas, the organizations and companies can now invest further because the base and knowledge is available. This means more jobs and social cohesion in the partner regions. The projects of the partners Dunkirk, Sluis, Brightlingsea and Tholen are good examples of this.