2025 STA Annual Conference & Innovation Awards Highlights AI & Big Data Innovations at the ETC

The 2025 edition celebrated a decade of research and innovation in Smart Transportation Infrastructures

On 17 September 2025, the Smart Transportation Alliance (STA), a Brussels-based not-for-profit global collaborative platform for transportation infrastructure, celebrated its 10th anniversary of the STA Annual Conference & Innovation Awards at the University of Antwerp (Belgium).

The 2025 edition was centred around the theme “Safer & Greener Transport Infrastructures in the context of AI & Big Data Developments, and was held under the umbrella of the European Transport Conference (ETC), traditionally organised by the Association for European Transport (AET).

Over 40 attendees attended the annual event and had the opportunity to explore new policies, solutions, and strategies from expert speakers, ranging from European Commission representatives to industry leaders. Discussions showcased how the latest advances in AI and Big Data are shifting from theory to practice, bringing a new generation of safer, greener transport systems.

The conference was structured around two roundtables. The first roundtable dived into real-world applications, from AI-driven road maintenance inspections and AI-assisted logistics to broader uses of AI applications across the transport infrastructure lifecycle. The second roundtable presented STA's Position Paper on EU Transport Research Priorities, as well as the EU-funded project KEYSTONE, focused in simplifying cross-border logistics compliance with the development of a web application.

The one-day event was coupled with the 2025 STA Annual Innovation Awards ceremony, honouring global innovators who are making decisive contributions to deploying Smart Transportation Infrastructures.

This year STA recognised Mr Erwin Verstraelen, Vice-President of Innovation at Port of Antwerp-Bruges (Belgium), as STA’s Person of the Year, for his leadership in driving port innovation and digital transformation, and RECORAIL, a decarbonised, circular, and reusable road safety barrier developed by Road Steel by Gonvarri Industries, as the Best Innovation Solution.

The event highlighted the importance of cooperation in the transport sector, as it provided the opportunity for many participants attending the ETC to join the 2025 STA Annual Conference & Innovation Awards and expand their networking opportunities. All conference topics and presentations of the 2025 STA Annual Conference & Innovation Awards are available at the Conference Proceedings on the STA’s website.

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STA Members at the STA Annual Conference & Innovation Awards

Prof Thierry Vanelslander & Dr José F. Papí (STA President) delivering the welcome remarks.	Dr José F. Papí (STA President) moderating the STA Annual Conference & Innovation Awards	Ms Friederike L. Kühl (STA Programmes Coordinator) at Roundtable 2
Mr Antonio Amengual receiving the Best Innovation Solution Award for RECORAIL	Mr Erwin Verstraelen receiving the Person of the Year Award