Going with the flow – easing inland shipping on the Danube

Europe’s second-longest river is one of Europe’s most under-exploited transport resources and the EU has been investing in realising its huge potential as a link between East and West.

At present, only 10% of the Danube’s capacity as an inland waterway is used. This is partly because international shippers run into administrative and technical challenges as the river winds its way through nearly a dozen countries. Each country with a stake in the river’s control has its own rules and regulations.

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for EU Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations highlighted today the pre-accession assistance funds project ‘Going with the flow – easing inland shipping on the Danube’.

In some places, the physical access to the waterway is being improved by new infrastructure projects. New facilities have been provided for reception of ship waste – since the cooperation also extends to issues of water quality. And joint guidelines have been agreed that enhance waterway maintenance and river engineering.

Find out more about the project: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/case-studies/2014/20140829_success_stories_wb_newada_en.pdf

Europa.ba