The Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) has for the first time authorised the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for inland navigation as part of its recommendations under the Rhine Vessel Inspection Regulation – an important step for inland navigation, as it is safe, environment-friendly, and economically attractive. [more]

The Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) has for the first time authorised the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for inland navigation as part of its recommendations under the Rhine Vessel Inspection Regulation – an important step for inland navigation, as it is safe, environment-friendly, and economically attractive.

On Saturday 21 January, the CCNR authorised the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel for combustion engines on inland navigation vessels on the basis of a highly detailed recommendation in respect of the self-propelled tanker “Argonon”, owned by the Dutch company Deen Shipping.

The decision-making procedures incumbent on the CCNR by virtue of its competences, concerning authorisation of the use of LNG as a fuel for navigation on the Rhine, were set in motion as soon as development of the “Argonon” project was announced in February 2011. There are also plans for other inland navigation vessels using LNG to be put into service in the near future.

The specific risks involved in using this fuel have been studied in detail in recent months by the CCNR’s Working Group on the Inspection Regulation, together with the important progress this “clean” technology will help to achieve in terms of environment policy. Close cooperation with the navigation profession, the shipbuilding industry and the classification companies has made it possible for the CCNR to issue a recommendation which will contribute to the development of inland navigation without affecting its safety and good order.

The use of LNG is considered to be sufficiently safe as long as the conditions laid down by the CCNR in its recommendation are observed at all times. These conditions set a strict framework for the various specific aspects connected with using a fuel of this kind, such as the method of construction and the classification of the vessel, the regular inspection and maintenance of the LNG propulsion system, the procedure for fuelling, and the training of the crew. The vessel’s owners are also required to send an annual assessment report to the CCNR Secretariat for circulation to the CCNR’s member States.

Source: CCNR, Photo credits: iStockphoto.com, Editorial: Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR)

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The Inland waterways sector came together on 17 January to talk to MEPs in Strasbourg and to lay on a Navigation & Port Day. The aim was to demonstrate to MEPs the benefits and importance of waterways’ integration into the broader transport infrastructure, and to gain their support. [more]

The Inland waterways sector came together on 17 January to talk to MEPs in Strasbourg and to lay on a Navigation & Port Day. The aim was to demonstrate to MEPs the benefits and importance of waterways’ integration into the broader transport infrastructure, and to gain their support.

Last October the European Commission published its long-awaited TEN-T proposals for the European Transport Core Network under the new Connecting Europe Facility. With an ambitious proposed budget of EUR 31.7 billion in the frame, the Commission is looking to turn the current trans-European network into a seamless and multi-modal system that will connect ports efficiently with their economic hinterlands. With the Parliament and Council of Ministers scrutinising the subject now, this was the perfect time to showcase the waterways.

The day included an INE Lunch for MEPs in the European Parliament building, where they heard and discussed how the waterways play a vital part in sustainable and efficient transportation. But with budgets under severe pressure from the financial crisis, the challenge for INE and its partners is to make sure that the key decision-makers fully understand the long term benefit of fully supporting inland navigation. INE Director General, Karin De Schepper, told MEPs of the critical importance of endorsing the Commission’s package of proposals. Without inland waterway transport, she said, traffic on the continent’s congested roads – especially in the vicinity of ports – will simply grind to a halt.

Eight MEPs with influential roles in European transport policy confirmed their support for the waterways.

Earlier MEPs and Commission staff had been taken on an inspiring waterborne tour of the local Port of Strasbourg – a good example of an inland port strongly integrated into its regional economy - organised by the European Federation of Inland Ports. While later on in the day the group heard more about inland waterways when they attended the European Barge Union’s 10th Anniversary Seminar at Strasbourg’s Palais du Rhin. The meeting was addressed by EC vice-president, Siim Kallas.

Source: Inland Navigation Europe, Photo credits: Inland Navigation Europe, Editorial: Inland Navigation Europe

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On 17 January 2012, a consortium consisting of NEA, via donau, CE Delft, PLANCO and MDS Transmodal published a report on the medium and long term perspectives of inland waterway transport in Europe. This study provides a basis for the Commission to define the inland waterway transport policy towards 2020 inaccordance with the Commission's White Paper on transport. [more]

On 16 January 2012, a consortium consisting of NEA, via donau, CE Delft, PLANCO and MDS Transmodal published a report on the medium and long term perspectives of inland waterway transport in Europe. This study provides a basis for the Commission to define the inland waterway transport policy towards 2020 in accordance with the Commission's White Paper on transport.

 

In the next years the main challenges will be to reverse the trend of declining modal share of inland navigation and boosting the implementation of clean engines in inland waterway transport. The consortium therefore proposes a number of measures to strengthen and support the inland waterway transport industry in Europe

There are two major challenges that should be dealt with in the next years:

• The modal share of inland waterway transport IWT is gradually decreasing;
• The environmental performance of inland navigation vessels compared to trucks is quickly deteriorating.

Inland waterway transport (IWT) is characterised by very low transport costs, high transport capacity, no congestion, low energy consumption and carbon footprint, low noise levels as well as safe and secure services. From a societal viewpoint it is therefore favourable to make much more use of waterways given the freight transport outlook and the problems on the saturated road and rail networks. A major objective is therefore to raise the modal share of inland waterway transport.

The consortium proposes several policy packages which directly or indirectly address these two challenges of raising modal share and reducing environmental impact. Altogether more than 60 policy measures have been recommended. The most important measures are:

• Supporting and promoting good maintenance of infrastructure to allow vessels to sail efficiently with high payloads and to reduce sensitivity to low water periods
• Eliminate inland waterway bottlenecks and extend the European waterway network by closing missing links
• Full deployment and utilisation of River Information Services to increase efficiency as well as improved reliability and cooperation with other modes of transport
• Development of a network of high quality inland ports including waterside logistics sites
• Support shippers and freight forwarders to integrate IWT in their transport chains
• Incentives for carriers to invest in modern engines, alternative fuel technologies (e.g. LNG) and retrofitting techniques as well as application of stricter regulations on new as well as existing vessel engines
• Development of benchmarking tools and market information, including forecasting to support better decision making and to reduce risks of overcapacity in the future
• Supporting European and national recruitment campaigns targeting young people and job seekers as well as measures aimed at improving working conditions
• Start preparatory work for a discussion on pricing systems for users of waterways in order to investigate the level of the user charge at different pricing scenarios as well as the possible impact on the competitive position of IWT.

Download
The Final Report of the Study “Medium and Long Term Perspectives of Inland Waterway Transport in the European Union” can be downloaded from
 IWT EU summary.pdf

Link
 www.nea.nl

Source: NEA, Editorial: Gert-Jan Muilerman

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The second ECCONET newsletter, marking the second year since the project was launched in January 2010, presents the four different types of adjustment procedures that were considered to counter the effects of climate change on the inland waterway network. Fleet- and transport-related strategies, infrastructure measures, possibilities for improved methods of water level forecasting, other measures and alternatives for the shipping industry are among the adaptation strategies that have been considered to help improve the performance of inland waterway transport in the light of climate change. [more]

The second ECCONET newsletter, marking the second year since the project was launched in January 2010, presents the four different types of adjustment procedures that were considered to counter the effects of climate change on the inland waterway network. Fleet- and transport-related strategies, infrastructure measures, possibilities for improved methods of water level forecasting, other measures and alternatives for the shipping industry are among the adaptation strategies that have been considered to help improve the performance of inland waterway transport in the light of climate change.

One of the main outcomes of the research project ECCONET is to provide guidelines for IWT users and waterway administrations to enable them to prepare for climate change. In the course of the project, short and long term strategies are being created to support waterway administrations in order to equip those with adequate response for different climate change scenarios.

The overall objective of ECCONET or “Effects of Climate Change on the inland waterway NET work” is to gather the expertise of partners from different fields related to meteorology, hydrology, infrastructure operation, transportation and economics in order to assess the effect of climate change on the transport network, taking the inland waterway network as a case-study.

ECCONET, is a 3-year Coordination and Support Action funded by the European Commission (DG_MOVE) in the context of the 7th Framework Programme.

Download:

 2nd ECCONET newsletter
   (2012 | Language: English | Format: PDF | Size: 1.3 MB)

Source: ECCONET, Editorial: ECCONET

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The Province of Liège, Belgium, will inaugurate a new training vessel in Huy on Saturday, 21 April 2012. The newly built convoy consists of a pushboat and a motorized barge that will sail mostly on the River Meuse and waterways in neighbouring countries like the Netherlands, France and Germany. The politechnical school of Huy has invited students from inland navigation institutes from all over Europe to the festive occasion. The European Union also played an active role in the financing of the instruction material via the European Fonds for Regional Development (EFRD) as students of Huy will navigate on the entire European network. [more]

The Province of Liège, Belgium, will inaugurate a new training vessel in Huy on Saturday, 21 April 2012. The newly built convoy consists of a pushboat and a motorized barge that will sail mostly on the River Meuse and waterways in neighbouring countries like the Netherlands, France and Germany. The politechnical school of Huy has invited students from inland navigation institutes from all over Europe to the festive occasion. The European Union also played an active role in the financing of the instruction material via the European Fonds for Regional Development (EFRD) as students of Huy will navigate on the entire European network.

The Province and the Region of Wallonie can be proud of the convoy LIBERTAS II allowing for all kinds of training in inland navigation including the transport of dangerous goods. The school of Huy is one of two institutes for inland navigation in Belgium together with the training facilities of KTA Zwijndrecht in the province of Antwerp, Flanders. On the Belgian labour market, only 11.3 percent of entrepreneurs and only 18.8 percent of employees are aged between 15 and 29 according to market observation figures published by the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine in autumn 2010. Therefore, modern learning facilities are an effective instrument for attracting new personnel.

Source: Politechnical school of Huy, Editorial: Roland Pascal

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