Transport by water
Role of waterway transport
Inland waterway transport (IWT) only accounts for 6% of total freight, but a closer look at the figures behind this statistic reveals that inland waterways carry the building blocks of our economy by moving foundational raw materials and semi-finished products – such as steel, chemicals, construction materials, agribulk and renewable fuels – that are indispensable to Europe’s manufacturing base and energy transition goals. These commodities underpin the Clean Industrial Deal and the circular economy. Furthermore, IWT’s unique capacity to handle outsized cargo, including heavy military equipment, is a key asset, especially given the weight and dimension constraints that road and rail transport face.
EU Naiades 3 action programme (2021-2027)
In the EU’s Naiades action programme for 2021-2027, published in June 2021, the European Commission aims to shift more freight to water. The aim is to increase the share of inland waterway transport and short sea shipping by 25% by 2030 and by 50% by 2050. IWT is to move in the direction of emission-free and smart shipping. It should also provide an attractive social and professional working environment.
The European action plan counts 35 actions covering specific inland waterway transport measures and general transport measures such as TEN-T, combined transport, alternative refueling and state aid, that support the goal of shifting more freight to inland shipping, while working towards a zero-emission and digital transport mode.
Within the Naiades implementation expert group, the Commission, Member States, River Commissions and sector monitor and assist with the implementation of the action plan, with the support of the Platina4Action project. INE is member of the Naiades Commission expert group and of the Platina4Action Advisory Committee.
What is NAIADES and why is it important?
- The EU waterway transport policy that aims for better use of inland shipping to relieve congested transport corridors and a transition to zero emission, climate resilience and digitalisation.
- The 1st Naiades programme ran from 2006 until 2013, the 2nd from 2014 until 2020 and the 3rd and current one from 2021 until 2027.
- Waterway transport is supported through the EU funding and financing programmes Connecting Europe Facility, Horizon Europe, LIFE, the Innovation Fund and the EU Structural and Investment Funds.
The Platina projects
The EU-funded PLATINA projects provide coordination and support activities to prepare policies. Their main objective is to provide the knowledge base. The current Platina4 project works on the following topics:
• supporting and coordinating research and innovation activities focussing on green and connected IWT to find synergies between parallel developments;
• impact estimations of NAIADES III actions and supporting the policy discussions to achieve modal shift and zero-emission IWT;
• updating the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for IWT.
This happens in close cooperation with all public and private stakeholders.
Started in January 2024, the project ends in December 2026 and is co-financed by the Horizon Europe Programme.
Priorities for INE
The priorities for INE are the actions and tools that assist waterway authorities with carrying out their mission, such as:
- instruments to support modal shift and emission-free services by revising the Combined Transport Directive and State aid Guidelines – INE deplores the limited scope of the revised proposal on combined transport which does not support the modal shift to multimodal inland waterways; INE welcomes the CEEAG, but recommends higher aid ceilings in combination with competitive bidding for the TBER and LMTG.
- a European roadmap for the digital transformation of inland waterway transport and the interoperability with other modes – INE welcomes the Inland Water Transport Digitalisation Vision 2023 and the revision of the RIS Directive;
- a policy that contributes to make waterway infrastructure reliable and climate resilient for waterway transport in harmony with other waterway functions – INE welcomes the agreement on the new TEN-T regulation and looks forward to an adequate new CEF regulation to implement the TEN-T policy.
