diff --git a/.classpath b/.classpath
index 061d6eb..4f3ed90 100644
--- a/.classpath
+++ b/.classpath
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <classpath>
-	<classpathentry kind="src" output="target/join-vre-3.5.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes" path="src/main/java">
+	<classpathentry kind="src" output="target/join-vre-3.6.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes" path="src/main/java">
 		<attributes>
 			<attribute name="optional" value="true"/>
 			<attribute name="maven.pomderived" value="true"/>
 		</attributes>
 	</classpathentry>
-	<classpathentry excluding="**" kind="src" output="target/join-vre-3.5.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes" path="src/main/resources">
+	<classpathentry excluding="**" kind="src" output="target/join-vre-3.6.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes" path="src/main/resources">
 		<attributes>
 			<attribute name="maven.pomderived" value="true"/>
 		</attributes>
@@ -39,5 +39,5 @@
 			<attribute name="maven.pomderived" value="true"/>
 		</attributes>
 	</classpathentry>
-	<classpathentry kind="output" path="target/join-vre-3.5.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes"/>
+	<classpathentry kind="output" path="target/join-vre-3.6.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes"/>
 </classpath>
diff --git a/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component b/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component
index 5f32ca8..8ad38d6 100644
--- a/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component
+++ b/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <wb-resource deploy-path="/" source-path="/src/main/webapp" tag="defaultRootSource"/>
     <wb-resource deploy-path="/WEB-INF/classes" source-path="/src/main/java"/>
         <wb-resource deploy-path="/WEB-INF/classes" source-path="/src/main/resources"/>
-        <dependent-module archiveName="email-templates-library-1.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar" deploy-path="/WEB-INF/lib" handle="module:/resource/email-templates-library/email-templates-library">
+        <dependent-module archiveName="email-templates-library-1.2.1-SNAPSHOT.jar" deploy-path="/WEB-INF/lib" handle="module:/resource/email-templates-library/email-templates-library">
             <dependency-type>uses</dependency-type>
         </dependent-module>
     <property name="java-output-path" value="/${module}/target/www/WEB-INF/classes"/>
diff --git a/distro/changelog.xml b/distro/changelog.xml
index a78d5e5..0ae3d26 100644
--- a/distro/changelog.xml
+++ b/distro/changelog.xml
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 <ReleaseNotes>
+	<Changeset component="org.gcube.portlets-user.join-vre.3.5.0" date="2018-03-13">
+		<Change>Feature #11434, Explore VREs use preloaders while loading VREs list</Change>
+	</Changeset>
 	<Changeset component="org.gcube.portlets-user.join-vre.3.5.0" date="2017-11-08">
 		<Change>Added support for optional layout via TabPages and browsing VREs by Organisations and Category</Change>
 	</Changeset>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 5c405ea..5f96a9f 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 	<groupId>org.gcube.portlets.user</groupId>
 	<artifactId>join-vre</artifactId>
 	<packaging>war</packaging>
-	<version>3.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+	<version>3.6.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<name>gCube Join VRE Portlet</name>
 	<description>Display the available VRE to Join</description>
 	<scm>
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 	</scm>
 	<properties>
 		<!-- Convenience property to set the GWT version -->
-		<gwtVersion>2.8.1</gwtVersion>
+		<gwtVersion>2.8.2</gwtVersion>
 		<distroDirectory>distro</distroDirectory>
 		<maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
 		<maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/JoinVRE.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/JoinVRE.java
index 9546f49..aa3e00d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/JoinVRE.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/JoinVRE.java
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import org.gcube.portlets.user.joinvre.shared.VRE;
 import org.gcube.portlets.user.joinvre.shared.VRECategory;
 
 import com.github.gwtbootstrap.client.ui.DropdownTab;
-import com.github.gwtbootstrap.client.ui.Paragraph;
 import com.github.gwtbootstrap.client.ui.Tab;
 import com.github.gwtbootstrap.client.ui.TabPanel;
 import com.github.gwtbootstrap.client.ui.resources.Bootstrap.Tabs;
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/responsive/ResponsivePanel.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/responsive/ResponsivePanel.java
index 257d3fd..2ade45d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/responsive/ResponsivePanel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/responsive/ResponsivePanel.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import org.gcube.portlets.user.joinvre.client.JoinService;
 import org.gcube.portlets.user.joinvre.client.JoinServiceAsync;
 import org.gcube.portlets.user.joinvre.client.ui.AccessVREDialog;
 import org.gcube.portlets.user.joinvre.client.ui.AccessViaInviteDialog;
+import org.gcube.portlets.user.joinvre.client.ui.LoadingPanel;
 import org.gcube.portlets.user.joinvre.client.ui.RequestMembershipDialog;
 import org.gcube.portlets.user.joinvre.client.ui.VreThumbnail;
 import org.gcube.portlets.user.joinvre.shared.VRE;
@@ -32,7 +33,9 @@ public class ResponsivePanel extends Composite {
 	 * default constructor (No tabs)
 	 */
 	public ResponsivePanel() {
-		GWT.log("ResponsivePanel()");
+		GWT.log("loading ResponsivePanel()");
+		mainPanel.add(new LoadingPanel());
+		GWT.log("added loading panel()");
 		joinService.getVREs(new AsyncCallback<LinkedHashMap<VRECategory, ArrayList<VRE>>>() {
 			@Override
 			public void onSuccess(LinkedHashMap<VRECategory, ArrayList<VRE>> categories) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/ui/LoadingPanel.ui.xml b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/ui/LoadingPanel.ui.xml
index 509337b..e7bc382 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/ui/LoadingPanel.ui.xml
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/client/ui/LoadingPanel.ui.xml
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
 	<ui:style>
 	.center {
 		text-align: center;
-		color: #999;
+		color: #666;
 	}
 	</ui:style>
 	<g:HTMLPanel styleName="{style.center}" >
-		<b:Paragraph>Loading, just a moment ...</b:Paragraph>
-		<b:Icon type="ROTATE_RIGHT" size="TWO_TIMES" spin="true" />
+		<b:Heading  size="4">Loading Virtual Research Environments list ...</b:Heading>
+		<b:Icon type="COG" size="FOUR_TIMES" spin="true" />
 	</g:HTMLPanel>
 </ui:UiBinder> 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/server/JoinServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/server/JoinServiceImpl.java
index 8cec9f1..33ca4d9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/server/JoinServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/joinvre/server/JoinServiceImpl.java
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ public class JoinServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements JoinService
 	//first method called to get VREs and their categories
 	@Override
 	public LinkedHashMap<VRECategory, ArrayList<VRE>> getVREs() {
+		
 		LinkedHashMap<VRECategory, ArrayList<VRE>> toReturn = new LinkedHashMap<VRECategory, ArrayList<VRE>>();
 		try {			
 			if (isWithinPortal()) {
@@ -717,7 +718,7 @@ public class JoinServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements JoinService
 		else
 			return (LinkedHashMap<VRECategory, ArrayList<VRE>>) getThreadLocalRequest().getSession().getAttribute(ALLVRES_SESSION_ATTRIBUTE);
 	}
-	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+
 	private void setVREsInSession(LinkedHashMap<VRECategory, ArrayList<VRE>> allVREs) {
 		getThreadLocalRequest().getSession().setAttribute(ALLVRES_SESSION_ATTRIBUTE, allVREs);
 	}