Strengthening inland shipping in the Baltic
(Posted on 09/11/18)
A vision for inland waterway transport (IWT) in the Baltic Sea Region as well as means to strengthen inland shipping were highlighted in Brussels this week, when about 90 participants from around the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) gathered to discuss the future of inland waterway transport to the final conference of project EMMA. The three-year-long project has brought inland shipping and inland waterways such as Elbe, Oder or Vistula higher on the political agenda.
Project EMMA, an Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme project aimed at enhancing inland navigation in the Baltic Sea Region, organized its final conference “Visions and Opportunities for the Transport Network – Inland Navigation and River-Sea Shipping in the Baltic Sea Region” in Brussels jointly with the Chambers’ Union Elbe/Oder.
At the conference, a vision for IWT in the Baltic Sea Region was presented. According to the vision, inland waterway transport is a green and smart transport mode, which is well integrated in multimodal supply chains with a remarkable share of the modal split. Inland waterway transport represents currently 6 % of the total transport volume in the European Union, consisting mostly of the transport along the Rhein and the Danube. However, during the three years, project EMMA has promoted sustainable inland shipping across the Baltic Sea Region successfully, highlighting the potential of many BSR countries to contribute to a more sustainable transport system by enhancing inland navigation and increasing its modal share in the transport system. The project EMMA was approved as a flagship project in the Policy Area Transport of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, reflecting the importance of developing inland navigation in the Baltic Sea Region.
“A lot of countries that want to push this transport mode further take this momentum. Project EMMA draws attention to these countries because there is potential which needs to be lifted by closer co-operation of all stakeholders involved”, said Stefan Breitenbach from the Port of Hamburg Marketing.
According to the vision, IWT is well-considered in strategic transport network planning and legislation. The expert panels discussed the importance of extending the TEN-T inland waterway network and including more waterways in core network corridors. Integration of waterways into the TEN-T network advances investments on them, since a lot of financing is directed to core network corridors. National regulatory frameworks are clearly a challenge and there is a need for harmonised national rules and regulations. For instance, in Sweden inland navigation is heavily affected by pilot and fairway dues that decrease its competitiveness. Johan Lantz, CEO of Avatar Logistics, called for a same playground for the whole Europe and stressed that the price of pilotage is currently a deal-breaker in Sweden when it comes to inland navigation.
The vision stated that a clear Intelligent Transport Systems’ (ITS) strategy enables smart shipping solutions. Arne Gehlhaar from the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics reminded that digitalization is needed to reach the competitiveness of inland navigation. River Information Services (RIS) are services designed to enhance safety and efficiency of inland waterway transport by optimizing traffic and transport processes. In Germany, EMMA pilot focused on improving transport management with the development of a digital map that combines RIS data with traffic flow relevant information, helping to achieve more efficient IWT in the Baltic Sea Region.
Latest News
New Managing Director at TBA Doncaster
(Posted on 04/11/24)From 1st November, TBA’s Doncaster division has a change of leadership.Responsible for the bulk... Read more
Port of Vancouver USA grant to deploy and expand clean energy infrastructure
(Posted on 31/10/24)The Port of Vancouver USA has announced it has been awarded a $22.5 million grant by the U.S. Environmental... Read more
ABP acquires land to fuel future growth
(Posted on 31/10/24)Associated British Ports (ABP) has acquired 21 acres of land on the western side of the Port of Immingham... Read more
MoU to explore development of Vietnam’s ports, logistics and maritime sectors
(Posted on 31/10/24)Vingroup JSC, one of Vietnam’s leading private companies, and AD Ports Group, a diversified, global... Read more
HH-WIN approval provides security for expansion in Hamburg port area
(Posted on 26/10/24)Following an important decision by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs in Berlin and the Federal... Read more
Port of Antwerp-Bruges growth despite challenges
(Posted on 23/10/24)After nine months, Port of Antwerp-Bruges saw a total throughput of 210.5 million tonnes, an increase... Read more
Expanded Oshawa Grain Terminal begins test loads
(Posted on 19/10/24)The improved Port of Oshawa Grain Export Terminal in Ontario has reached an important milestone, welcoming... Read more
King Willem-Alexander and King Philip open New Lock in Terneuzen
(Posted on 15/10/24)His Majesty the King Willem-Alexander and His Majesty the King of the Belgians Filip jointly opened... Read more
Ducat’s West Africa rice milestone highlights advanced logistical methods
(Posted on 14/10/24)Ducat Maritime, a leader in global maritime logistics, has announced that it has successfully shipped... Read more
International port stakeholders sign declaration to decarbonise global shipping
(Posted on 14/10/24)The Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC), has concluded with representatives of various ports, international... Read more