The Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) held its plenary spring session on 2nd June 2022 in Strasbourg. Among the plenary session’s main topics were measures to facilitate the mobility of navigation personnel and the protection of personal data. Mr François Alabrune, the head of the French delegation, chaired the meeting. Mr Jörg Rusche, who began his new duties as Deputy Secretary General in May 2022, attended for the first time.
Extraordinary measures for improving personnel mobility
CCNR adopted exceptional measures to facilitate the mobility of inland navigation personnel on 11th April. The CCNR invited its Member States not to sanction crew members on inland waterway vessels who present certificates of qualification, service record books or logbooks issued in accordance with Directive (EU) 2017/2397. For a transitional period pending adoption of the new Regulations for Rhine Navigation Personnel (RPN), the CCNR invites its Member States not to sanction crew members on inland waterway vessels on the Rhine who present certificates of qualification, service record books or logbooks issued in accordance
with Directive (EU) 2017/2397.
For more information on personal data protection
The plenary session was the opportunity to adopt amendments to the Rhine Vessel Inspection Regulations (RVIR). The inspection request model has been updated to include information on the protection of personal data. The amendments will come into force on 1st June 2023.
Issues related to the Rhine waterway
The CCNR has given its approval to a number of Rhine-related projects, including the installation of a water extraction point for supplying a reed bed at Beinheim, the development of a fish ladder on the Rhinau hydroelectric power station, and the dismantling of the “Merwede” bridge. The CCNR also applauds the development pressures set for 2022 to enhance Rhine navigation conditions: bedload supply at Iffezheim and on the Lower Rhine, riverbed stabilization downstream of Iffezheim and at Bockum-Krefeld, mooring space expansion at Mannheim, and rock dredging experiments.
Inland navigation’s economic status in Europe
In partnership with the European Commission, in February the CCNR published its thematic report “An evaluation of new market opportunities for inland
waterway transport”, and in April 2022 its Market Insight. The resolution incorporates the main findings of the new 2022 annual Market Observation report. The report will be published on the CCNR website in July. It will be available on the CCNR website in July.
The full CCNR press release can be found HERE
