News
Follow the latest progress in the industry
Stay up to date with EU – IWT Platform by signing up to our newsletter
All News
Inland waterway transport in the EU suffers a major decline in 2022
In 2022, the inland waterway transport sector experienced a significant drop in activity, reaching its lowest level in a decade. According to the latest data from Eurostat, inland waterway transport performance decreased Read More
EU Invests Over €352 Million to Accelerate Green Mobility
The European Union (EU) has recently announced 26 infrastructure projects that will receive over EUR 352 million to propel the adoption of alternative fuels infrastructure across the trans-European transport network (TEN-T). The financial backing is Read More
Promoting Sustainability in Inland Navigation: Key Findings from the 42nd Session of the UNECE ADN Safety Committee
The 42nd Session of the UNECE ADN Safety Committee held on 21-25 August 2023, brought together representatives of the Ministries of the ADN Contracting States as well as of IWT (EBU/ESO), the classification societies, Read More
Alternative Fuels: Exploring GTL and HVO
The inland waterway transport (IWT) sector is undergoing a transformative shift towards greener and more sustainable practices, with a particular focus on alternative fuels. As industry actors explore viable fuel options, here is Cemex's Read More
Investigation of the energy efficiency of the zero emission inland vessel X-Barge
ZULU Associates and Flanders Hydraulics have signed an agreement to investigate and validate the energy efficiency of the X-Barge in confined and shallow waters. The aim of the study is to optimise the hull Read More
Impact of the Revised ITS Directive on Inland Waterway Transport
The European Commission has recently reached a political agreement with the European Parliament and the Council on the revision of the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Directive. This revised legislation will make high-quality and timely Read More
General Interest
BDB welcomes measures to strengthen inland navigation in 2022
Traffic light coalition decides on more funding and more staff positions for the WSV The Federal Association of German Inland Navigation (BDB) very much welcomes the fact that the potential of the climate-friendly inland navigation Read More
New Ambassador video published by STEERER
Two waterborne specialists from multiple stakeholders sectors are interviewed in this new STEERER ambassador video about how to effectively accomplish the zero-emissions target for the waterborne transport industry. Bernadette Castro (Royal IHC) says that research Read More
Signed MoU of the Co-Programmed Partnership on Zero-Emission Waterborne Transport
As informed earlier in June 2021 (click HERE! to read that news item), the European Commission and the Waterborne Technology Platform signed a Memorandum of Understand (MoU) for a Co-Programmed Partnership on Zero-Emission Waterborne Transport under the framework Read More
Preparing FAIRway2 works in the Rhine-Danube Corridor
We are happy to hear that the preparation of the FAIRway2 are ongoing! The goal of the study “Preparing FAIRway 2 works in the Rhine-Danube corridor” (July 2020 – April 2024) is to bring Read More
ENTRANCE project – Innovations in Logistics report
As part of the ENTRANCE project, we want to share with you a report on ‘’Innovations in Logistics'’ of December 2021. View the full report online – click HERE! “This paper is the result Read More
European Inland Waterway Transport Platform: Annual Report 2021
As every year, the IWT Platform would like to publicly share the Annual Report, 2021 edition. We prepared for you - inland navigation and waterborne sectors' communities and other interested stakeholders - a comprehensive Read More
Innovation and Greening
Waterborne and intermodal transport organizations call for more consistency between the “Fit for 55” proposals
On 8 December 2021, major stakeholders of the waterborne, inland waterway and intermodal transport sectors – including IWT Platform – called for clarification of some of the measures included in Read More
New German government wants to strengthen inland shipping sector
At the end of November, after about a month of intensive negotiations, the future governing political parties: SPD (Social Democrats), Greens and FDP (Free Democrats), have presented their coalition agreement. The 178-pages‘ document lists Read More
Innovation Fund: Second large-scale call for projects and the Info Day on 10 November 2021
Last week, on 26 October 2021, the European Commission has launched the second call for large-scale projects under the Innovation Fund, one of the world's largest funding programmes for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon Read More
New German IWT funding programme to promote switching to low-emission diesel engines
We welcome the new German funding program for inland shipping! The federal government is promoting retrofitting to low-emission diesel engines. It is a sensible addition to the fleet modernisation programme for the inland navigation Read More
COVID-19: Amending transitional provisions of the NRMM Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 for second time
Earlier this summer, the European Institutions decided to further amend the transitional provisions that were set up for Regulation (EU) 2016/1628. The original Regulation, approved back on 14 September 2016, has defined pollutant emission Read More
Webinar on ‘Greening Challenges and Stage V – perfect match or not?’ – Summary & Presentations
Summary On 28 June 2021, the EU IWT Platform organised an online workshop ‘Greening Challenges and Stage V – Perfect match or not?’. The aim was to zoom in on challenges and opportunities in Read More
Social and Education
New Regulation for Rhine Navigation Personnel (RPN) adopted – Modernisation and harmonisation with Directive Professional Qualifications
The new Rhine Navigation Personnel Regulation (RPN), which was adopted by the CCNR on 08 November 2022, will come into force on 01 April 2023. In addition to the general provisions, the new regulation contains, Read More
Social partners present the Work Programme 2022-2023 of the SSDC
Social partners of the Inland Waterway Transport sector meet on a regular basis within the framework of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee (SSDC). At those meetings, the partners – including IWT Platform’s Secretaries from Read More
Professional qualifications in inland navigation – Info Brochure on Directive 2017/2397 available online!
Directive 2017/2397 - Recognition of professional qualifications in inland navigation Directive (EU) 2017/2397 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2017 on the recognition of professional qualifications in inland navigation Read More
CESNI webinar of 14 December 2021 – Towards harmonised European manning regulation
Source: CESNI A sector consultation event, in the form of a webinar dedicated to the roadmap for European manning regulations, was held on 14 December 2021. More than 80 participants took part in this important Read More
Draft roadmap to a new European manning regulation
Safe journey and secure border crossing are the main objectives for the European manning regulation and the working time directive. Since the current manning regulation is outdated, we are jointly working with our European Read More
Coordination of Social Security Systems – Fitness check update
European IWT social partners are expecting the Fitness Check on Regulation (EC) 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems by the end of this year. In 2020, the European Commission initiated a fitness Read More
Nautical and Technical Aspects
Feedback from CESNI/PT Working Group meeting – 22-23 February 2022
Our Secretary of the Nautical and Technical Committee, Ms Lijdia Pater – de Groot, prepared a lengthy debrief from a recent meeting of the Working Group on Technical requirements (CESNI-PT) that took place on Read More
Experience with the use of shore power connections – a presentation from the “Shore power at berths” Workshop
Earlier in February 2022, the CCNR organised a full-day workshop on “Shore power at berths”. Leny van Toorenburg, our Secretary of the Nautical/Technical and Infrastructure Committees, has outlined the experience with shore power on Read More
CCNR and viadonau Workshop on Shore Power at Berths – 3 February 2022
Please register via the following link by using the password: CCNR2022workshop - click HERE! View the full agenda – click HERE! Zero-emissions inland navigation sector by 2050: this target for protecting the environment and Read More
FAQ on the application of the ES-TRIN and the NRMM Regulation
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ on ES-TRIN and the NRMM Regulation to engines fitted to Inland Navigation Vessels CESNI and EUROMOT have developed a FAQ document - click here! - to help those involved Read More
Workshop on the Notices to Skippers Standard 4.0 – summary
The IWT sector has warmly welcomed the organisation of the Focus Workshop: Notices to Skippers Standard 4.0 under the Danube Region Strategy and Working Group Meeting on River Information Services. The event took place Read More
New edition of ES-TRIN entering into force on 1 January 2022
ES-TRIN 2021 Like many other sectors, inland navigation is facing a major transition, especially in the area of sustainability. The regulations must facilitate the necessary innovation. In order to take technological developments into account, Read More
Policy and Regulation
Standards for European manning requirements – work is going on
In May 2022, meetings of the working group on professional qualifications (CESNI/QP) and the temporary working group on manning requirements (CESNI/QP/Crew) was held in Berlin. The task of CESNI/QP is to draft standards for minimum Read More
Public Consultation on the fitness check on market access in inland waterway transport – open until 11 March 2022!
The public consultation is open until 11 March 2022 Click HERE to respond to the questionnaire! The European Commission is currently assessing several pieces of legislation on the access and functioning of the inland Read More
The 39th Session of the ADN Safety Committee – meeting’s debrief
In the last week of January 2022, the 39th session of the UNECE - ADN Safety Committee took place. Due to the ongoing pandemic situation and travel restrictions, the meeting was held in a Read More
Climate, Energy & Mobility Info Day on 3 February 2022
The European Commission is organizing an online Cluster 5 Info Day on 3 February 2022. All sessions will be available to watch online via the link: click HERE! No registration is required. The primary Read More
CDNI – two new resolutions came into force as of 1 January 2022
On 1 January 2022, two new CDNI - the Convention on the collection, deposit and reception of waste produced during navigation on the Rhine and inland waterways - resolutions came into force. A communication Read More
Recap of CDNI/G Working Group meeting in Strasbourg, 3-4 November 2021
The Convention on the collection, deposit and reception of waste produced during navigation on the Rhine and inland waterways (CDNI) aims to protect the environment, and especially water. The CDNI came into force on Read More