Hnk – Page 3 – ESO-OEB

50 Years of Social Dialogue in IWT

17 May 2017 by Hnk

…….sector striving towards a sustainable and prosperous future …

The European Social Partners in Inland Waterways Transport, EBU (European Barge Union), ESO (European Skippers’ Organisation) and ETF (European Transport Workers’ Federation) celebrate 50 years of social dialogue. The tasks facing the Social Partners now will change fundamentally as new challenges emerge rapidly in the area of automation and digitalisation.

“In this process the instrument of Sectoral Social Dialogue has proven to be indispensable and the Social Partners express their thanks to the Commission for its continued commitment and support.” says Jacques Kerkhof, President of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Inland Waterways Transport.

The European Social Partners are committed to addressing all these challeges in an open spirit and striving to create an IWT sector offering an attractive career perspective to current and future boatmen and boatwomen based on the pillars of economic, environmental and social sustainability.

View this link for the full press release.

IWT market report spring 2017

5 May 2017 by Hnk

Special focus on mineral oil industry (german, french and dutch versions available)

The new quarterly report on European inland navigation, written by the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) in partnership with the European Commission, is now available.

In particular, this report analyses in detail the first three quarters of 2016 in terms of traffic compared to 2015, as well as the economic situation of important sectors for the inland navigation. In addition to its usual topics (economic context, freight traffic on inland waterways and in ports, operating conditions and outlook) it includes a special focus on the mineral oil industry.

Pdf version of the report / Online version of the report

PDF-Version des Berichts / Online-Version des Berichts

Version pdf de ce rapport / Version en ligne de ce rapport

PDF-versie van dit verslag / Online-versie van dit verslag

ESO’s NY event

22 February 201722 February 2017 by Hnk

.. ‘life is simple, but we insist on making it complicated’ .. (confucius)

Last Monday afternoon, February 20th, ESO held its annual New Years’s reception.
Both the new Secretary General of the CCNR, Bruno Georges, as DG-MOVE’s new Head of unit for Ports & IWT, Daniela Rusça, gave their view on challenges and opportunities for IWT.
President Christiaan Van Lancker followed with his traditional NY’s speech, to clarify ESO’s policy and view on various important IWT matters.
The event was moderated by ESO’s Secretary General Hester Duursema.

Christiaan VanLancker, Daniela Rusça, Bruno Georges (left to right)

Approximate 35 guests from European Commission, member states, ports, inspections, organisations and of course members, were informed about the ongoing businesses and a preview of what is to come.

The event was hosted at the premisses of ITLB, right near the Berlaymont building of the Commission.

Expert asked to research workload IWT

22 February 20176 February 2017 by Hnk

Towards a Sustainable Crewing System (TASCS)

The social partners (EBU, ESO and ETF) have started TASCS to investigate the workload of IWT personnel. This joint project has to identify and assess all relevant critical elements and/or influences that have impact on crew members on board of a vessel whilst at work/ rest. The project is funded by the European Commission and will be carried out from spring 2017 until autumn 2018.
First of all a tender will be issued to look for an external Research Partner who will be in charge of the investigation under supervision of a steering group.
Specifications can be found hereafter and in the accompanying document.
Bids are awaited before 20 February 2017 at 23:59 – at midnight the tender will be closed.

ETF’s Political Secretary Mrs. Myriam Chaffart will manage the project on behalf of EBU, ESO (employers) and ETF (employees.

CLINSH looks for green entrepreneurs

3 February 20173 February 2017 by Hnk

Investigation into effectiveness of emission reducing and alternative fuels

The European demonstration project CLean INland SHipping (CLINSH) invests in sustainable waterborne transport. In February 2017, operators, who wish to make their vessels more sustainable, will be invited to tender on this project, on condition they are willing to add to existing knowledge about emissions-reducing technology.
The Dutch province of Zuid-Holland is the lead partner in the CLINSH project, which involves sixteen other partners in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Monitoring of results ‘conditio sine qua non’
The tender procedure addresses two groups of 15 vessels each. The first group has already installed equipment to reduce emissions or sail on alternative fuel. The other group will be fitted with the aforementioned equipment or will be adapted to alternative fuels.
Both groups will be fitted with monitoring equipment which measures emissions over a period of between one and two years. This will provide valuable information about the environmental performance of each technology and how its use affects operating costs.
The selected participants will receive financial compensation up to a certain amount.

Conditions of tendering and participation can be found in these press releases:

CCNR market report – Winter 2016/2017

27 January 2017 by Hnk

IWT needs to anticipate to Europe’s new energy policies pdf

The new quarterly report on European inland navigation, written by the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) in partnership with the European Commission, is now available. With respect to 2^nd quarter transport 2016, this report analyses in particular the consequences of the period of low water conditions that affected the sector at the end of 2015 as well as the upward turn in activity at the beginning of 2016.
In addition to its usual topics (economic context, freight traffic on inland waterways and in ports, operating conditions and outlook) it includes a special focus on the steel industry.

Large response on AIS and e-Charts survey

27 January 201724 January 2017 by Hnk

More than 90% of the replies from boatmasters.

The Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) is very pleased to have received more than 1000 replies to its survey on Inland AIS devices and systems for displaying electronic charts. The survey was filled in by boatman, authorities, and companies fitting the devices.
Over a period of two months, more than 1000 questionnaires were filled in completely and could be taken into account. In addition, more than 400 questionnaires were filled in incompletely, but were still exploitable and will add to the outcome.

Feedback for improvement necessary
After the AIS and electronic charts obligation had been in force for two years, the CCNR decided to launch an on-line survey in order to gain a better idea of the difficulties encountered by users and to enable the people concerned by these regulations to provide feedback with their suggestions for improvements.
The results of the survey will enable the CCNR to continue to draw up and improve appropriate rules for navigation of the Rhine, in close collaboration with the profession.

A summary of the results of the survey is to be published during the last quarter of 2017. The summary will be circulated electronically to all participants who gave an e-mail contact address.

Next step to renew manning regulations

19 January 2017 by Hnk

Joint study into workload

The European Commission has approved on a grant for a study into the workload for crewmembers in inland shipping. The request for this study was a joint initiative of the social partners.
The study should lead to a practice oriented renewal of the manning regulations for Rhine navigation and possibly form the prelude for a settlement in the other EU countries.

The representants of the employers (ESO & EBU) and employees (ETF) at European level -the social partners – will act as soon as possible to have the investigations for this study carried out.
As an essential part of the study members of the national organisations will be approached to cooperate with the practical investigations on board of approx. 50 IWT vessels of all types and categories.

As soon as all necessary documents are signed the study can start. Partners expect next February 1st is achievable.

Duursema SG ESO

19 December 20162 March 2015 by Hnk

Brussels, March 2nd, 2015

Last Saturday, 28th of February, Mrs. Hester Duursema was appointed unanimously as the new Secretary General of the European Skippers’ Organisation (ESO).
She succeeds Mr. Henk van der Velde, who after many years of fulfilling this role, wanted to resign. He will however be still available for ESO and due to an existing vacancy he has been appointed as interim vice-president of ESO.
Both nominations take effect immediately.