Didier Leandri Appointed President of the European Inland Waterway Transport Platform (EIWTP)
Brussels, 24 September 2026 – The Board of the European Inland Waterway Transport Platform (EIWTP) has appointed Didier Leandri as its new President. He assumes the role at an important moment for the inland waterway transport sector, which is facing significant transformations driven by technological innovation, economic developments, sustainability goals, and effects of climate change across Europe.
As Président Délégué of Entreprises Fluviales de France (E2F), board member of the European Barge Union (EBU) and Commissioner for France at the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine, Didier Leandri brings extensive experience in representing inland waterway transport businesses and advocating for the sector’s interests. His appointment comes as the inland navigation community prepares to contribute to shaping the European policy framework that will succeed the current NAIADES III programme.
Commenting on his appointment, Didier Leandri remarked: ‘’Looking ahead, the sector is entering a period marked by both challenges and opportunities. Climate change and increasingly variable water levels are putting pressure on waterway infrastructure and affecting the reliability of navigation. At the same time, the transition towards cleaner vessels and the deployment of digital technologies are reshaping operations and creating new skills requirements for the workforce. These developments come against a backdrop of labour shortages across the sector, making workforce attractiveness, training, and skills development key priorities. Ensuring high standards of safety will remain fundamental throughout this transition’’.’
He expressed his appreciation to Christiaan van Lancker for his pivotal role as President whose commitment and leadership guided the Platform through a period of active policy engagement and project development. Nominated by the European Skippers Organisation (ESO), he chaired the EIWTP Management Board and played a central role in fostering cooperation among the organisations and stakeholders represented within the Platform. His contribution helped strengthening the sector’s collective voice at European level and laid a solid foundation for future collaboration.
In this context, EIWTP’s involvement in European projects provides an important bridge between practical industry experience and future policymaking. Through the DiVINE project, the Platform is contributing to the development of a roadmap for the digitalisation of inland waterway transport towards 2035. Through PLATINA4Action, IWTP is helping to evaluate the implementation of NAIADES III and formulate recommendations for the European inland waterway transport agenda beyond 2027. Together, these initiatives aim to identify where policy, investment, innovation, and industry action must align to strengthen the resilience, sustainability, and competitiveness of the sector”
The Board has also appointed Erik Schultz as new Vice-President and thanked outgoing Vice-President Martin Staats for his valuable input during his mandate within the Board.
As it looks ahead to the next phase of European transport policy, the European IWT Platform remains committed to ensuring that inland waterway transport continues to contribute to a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient European transport system. Inland waterway transport is an indispensable asset for Europe’s industrial capacity.
