(24 June 2021) – The European Commission tables a 35-point action plan to boost the role of inland waterway transport in mobility and logistics systems.
The core objectives are to shift more cargo over Europe’s rivers and canals, and facilitate the transition to zero-emission barges by 2050.
This is in line with the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, which set the goal of increasing transport by inland waterways and short sea shipping by 25% by 2030, and by 50% by 2050.
Among the actions proposed is the revision of the Combined Transport Directive, which, along with support for investments towards transshipment capacity and inland multimodal terminals, will enable the greater integration of inland waterways into a modern, trans-European intermodal transport system.