Newsletter of the European Inland Waterway Transport Platform

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Dear Dear,

Keep an eye on the “Human Factor “ … always !

The past few years the digital factor was the talk of the town and well taken care of. It would (and will) help us fight the climate change, make operations more predictable and hence plannable, … Humans should adapt to the new normal , since it would make a human’s life better and easier. But , as it stands today, it does not solve every challenge Inland Navigation is facing. The human factor is, most of the time, still the decisive factor, but unfortunately (and mostly unvoluntary) not always for the better …. As COVID-19, having an immediate effect on that human factor, shows these days!

Like roadtransport, it’s the platform’s ambition to reduce the number of accidents that happen on rivers and canals. And just like in roadtransport, accidents can happen because of many reasons of which the human factor most likely is an important one. How important this factor is, is currently being studied; the findings so far can be found below. In this particular case, COVID-19 has no particular link with accidents that are caused by a human factor.

It has though, just like in many other sectors, an effect on the human beings that are currently building our vessels that have to comply with what is called the NRMM-regulations. Deadlines as set out in that regulation cannot be met ,which luckily led to a review of that regulation. You can read all about in this in the last article. Apart from ships not being build on time, which is an issue in itself, it means that the replacement of the fleet by less polluting vessels is slowed down. Not a pleasant experience when as a sector you have ambitious plans with respect to improving Climate and Environment.

Also related to Climate and Environment is how bargeowners and operators have to treat different types of waste. This is layed out in the so called CDNI-Convention which came into force more than 10 years ago. In those ten years a lot has changed, so it’s time for a review and not just because the costs have risen. What the Platform’s objective is in this matter can be read below.

Last not but least, vessels – at least the vast majority- are made to sail and not to queue for too long a time for a lock to function. And this was about to happen on one of the major locks on the Donau. Thanks to a joint action by EBU/ESO ( the founders of the platform) and the local government a solution was found as you will read in this newsletter.

In this latter case as well as in the CDNI-review , human intervention has and will have a positive effect and that is the way it should be!

Have a delightful read!

Nik Delmeire

Increase of waste disposal fee – why and how will it develop?

The CDNI disposal fee rises to 8.50 euros. In accordance with the decision of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (CPC) of the CDNI Convention, the disposal fee will increase from 7.50 euros per 1,000 litres of bunkered, tax-free gas oil to 8.50 euros as of 01.01.2021.

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Stay safe: avoid accidents

On a European level, we want to prevent accidents. This requires more than just technical investments, as the human factor plays an important role in these incidents. We believe that the current reaction - following an incident - based on regulation is too limited. An important first step is to have a good knowledge and analysis of the actual causes of an incident.

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A nice Christmas present from the Slovak Government

The Slovak government announces the closure of one of the two locks in Gabcikovo for 9 hours a day from 28 September and for a period of 3.5 months (until 17 January 2021). This is despite the fact that the second lock has been under repair for some time and is therefore out of use.

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Phasing in greener engines slowed down by pandemic

Inland navigation currently has only one regulative framework regarding emission standards on vessels. This is the Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) Regulation 2016/1628, also known as the regulative framework for the Stage V emission standards of new engines.

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