Ebu Event “ROLE OF INLAND WATERWAY TRANSPORT (IWT) IN THE FRAMEWORK OF EU’s MOBILITY AND SUPPLY POLICY”

Location

Rue du la Loi 75

Program

14.00 Registration

14.30 Opening and welcome by Philippe Grulois, President EBU

14.35 Keynote speeches by

Václav Bernard Deputy Minister of Transport, Czech Ministry of Transport
Henrik Hololei Director General European Commission DG MOVE
Dominique Riquet MEP TRAN committee and co-rapporteur “TEN-T revision”
Philippe Grulois President EBU

15.30 Panel discussions chaired by Theresia Hacksteiner, Secretary General EBU

1st Panel | Modal shift & urgent need for infrastructure investment

Representative Shipping Industry (tbc)

Pawel Wojciechowksi Coordinator Rhine Alpine TEN-T corridor
Manfred Seitz Director of the Secretariat of the Danube Commission
Martin Staats Managing Director MSG eG and President Bundesverband der
Deutschen Binnenschifffahrt eV
Henrik Hololei Director General European Commission DG MOVE
Dominique Riquet MEP TRAN committee and co-rapporteur “TEN-T revision”

16.30 Coffee break (16.30-17.00)

2nd Panel | Fleet innovation towards energy transition

Dr. Gunther Jaegers | Managing partner Jaegers/Chemgas Shipping Group
Ard-Jan Kooren | President & CEO Kotug International B.V.
Daniela Rosca | Head of Unit Ports and Inland Navigation, European Commission DG Move
Lucia Luijten | Secretary General Central Commission for the Navigation on the Rhine
Didier Leandri | President Entreprises fluviales de France E2F Paris, Vice-President EBU

18.00 Networking cocktail (18.00-19.00)

Background:

After a recovery from the COVID crisis in the past 2 years the sector is facing new challenges in terms of increase of its modal share and the energy transition. Inland waterways offer a huge potential to absorb much higher volumes on the European waterways. However, critical low water levels on major European rivers during the summer period and blockades of vessels in the Danube threatened to disrupt the supply of major industries and society in Europe.  Where  future proof infrastructure is high on the political agenda, these situations where not caused by climate change but are a consequence of long neglected waterway maintenance on the major  European waterways.  IWT needs a reliable, safe, cost effective and climate resilient infrastructure network.  With over 40,000 km of navigable waterways and 250 inland ports, IWT currently carries some 550 million tonnes of goods per year and is of increasing importance in the field of cruising and passenger transport. Societies and major industries in Europe depend on a seamless supply of their goods via waterways, while tourism on waterways is a major pillar of European tourism.

IWT is characterised by its energy efficiency, safety and sustainability compared to other modes and contributes to decongesting overloaded road and rail networks for goods and people. A better integration of inland navigation into transport chains improves the efficiency of the entire European transport network. Notwithstanding the positive environmental record, IWT is facing a major challenge on the path towards energy transition.

IWT offers huge opportunities to contribute to the realisation of the various global and European challenges in terms of modal shift and climate mitigation.

In order to materialise the full potential of the sector a number of preconditions need to be met, which will be discussed in the event with high level representatives from the European and international institutions and experts from the industry.