Creating a high-quality waterway network requires a predictable EU budget
Waterway authorities, shipowners and inland ports have joined forces to provide an overview of bottlenecks in the European waterway infrastructure. Inland waterways are multi-functional public infrastructure that deliver European public goods. The backlog in modernisation and the shortage of investment and human resources to upgrade navigable waterways undermines Europe’s agility in competitiveness and climate action.
Large volumes of raw materials, which are essential to Europe’s industrial production and a wide range of supporting economic sectors, are transported by inland waterways. Therefore, we have given a platform to industrial leaders, maritime and logistics players to voice their needs for EU business to stay competitive, resilient and safe. The quality of waterway infrastructure has emerged as the top priority as clean industrial growth relies on sustainable and robust supply chains.
It is important to note that creating a well-functioning transport network goes beyond addressing megaprojects. We will need a predictable and stable long-term EU budget for infrastructure, capable of removing all bottlenecks affecting cross-border connectivity.
Gert-Jan Muilerman, INE chairman: 75% of all goods transported via inland waterways cross international borders, underscoring its role as a genuinely European mode of transport. The contributions from business leaders in this publication reaffirm that predictable, long-term EU investment in modernizing waterway infrastructure is essential for fostering industrial resilience and promoting sustainable growth. Such investment will also enhance water resilience and improve climate preparedness for economic activities reliant on or situated along these vital waterways.
Click on the tiles below to view the publication and corridor factsheets:
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Creating a high-quality waterway network requires a predictable EU budget
Most of Europe’s population lives in major urban agglomerations along coastlines and in river valleys. Stable investment in a reliable and resilient waterway network is a quick-win benefiting economy and society.
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North Sea Rhine Mediterranean Corridor
This corridor, home to the Seine-Scheldt project and the most dense waterway network, serves a key economic region. Only when all bottlenecks are solved, the full network effect over water can be achieved.
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Rhine Danube Corridor
The Danube and Elbe are emblematic rivers of European inland navigation. Sustained political support for cross-border coordination and consistent, reliable financing are essential to improving fairway conditions and enhancing the competitiveness of inland waterway transport.
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Baltic corridor
The Baltic Sea region is home to historic inland waterway networks in Finland, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden, which were important for regional and international trade. Restoring them will enable green trade routes.
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North Sea Baltic corridor
By investing in the canal network, current capacity constraints can be alleviated, facilitating cross-border trade and supporting the development of innovative industrial clusters.
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Atlantic corridor
The Douro has strong transportation potential, but overdue investment in bottlenecks & multimodal connections remain a barrier to unlock this artery in the Iberian hinterland.
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Mediterranean corridor
The Northern Italian region is an intersection between the main trans-European corridors. Upgrading the Po navigable waterway system helps improving mobility climate resilience in this dense region.
