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Europe requires a stronger EU transport budget

Europe’s transport sector is the backbone of the EU internal market and outreach to the world.
A strong sector is a prerequisite for building a competitive, net-zero
and resilient Europe.

Open letter to Member States and Commission

Brussels, February 5th, 2025. Europe’s transport sector strongly urges the Member States and the Commission to preserve and strengthen a solid dedicated European transport funding instrument under the future EU budget. The European coordination of infrastructure across Europe is more than ever crucial. It is the only guarantee for safeguarding the smooth functioning of the EU internal market, promoting Europe’s competitiveness and cohesion, and bolstering its resilience and military preparedness.
45 European transport organisations have joined forces and are collectively urging national governments and the European Commission to maintain and strengthen a robust dedicated European transport funding instrument under the future EU budget.

Strategic importance
The transport sector is as such very concerned about the Commission’s plans to redirect a large majority of the European transport funding towards National Single Plans and asks the General Affairs and Finance Ministers of the Member States to give a strong signal towards the Commission in favour of preserving a solid dedicated European transport funding instrument.
In fact, a robust European transport network is of strategic importance in responding to Europe’s current challenges. With rising geopolitical tensions and ongoing climate change, it must be Europe’s top priority to strengthen and adapt our infrastructure, address bottlenecks and missing links, and optimise its connectivity and capacity.

Dedicated European transport funding instrument
The transport sector therefore urges the Member States and the Commission to choose for an approach that strengthens Europe, to preserve a strong and centrally coordinated dedicated European transport funding instrument that prioritises investments of high European added value, and to refrain from jeopardising the future and competitiveness of Europe’s transport network, which is fundamental to achieve Europe’s priorities.

The full text of the open letter  to the EU Member States, with the full list of signatories, can be found here.

Inland Water Transport indispensable to Europe

Brussels, December 2024. The Inland Waterway Transport and Ports sector plays a critical role in sustaining Europe’s economic vitality and its climate and environmental goals. Inland waterway transport is serving major industries across Europe. It provides reliable and efficient transport solutions for heavy industries, consumer goods, urban deliveries, construction and more.

A robust inland waterway ecosystem is essential to fostering industrial and commercial success, supporting and attracting industries critical to European prosperity and resilience. The Inland Waterway Transport and Ports sector urges policymakers, industries, and citizens to recognise the unique value of inland waterway transport. Together, we can ensure its role in a competitive, sustainable and resilient Europe.

Robust and resilient infrastructure needed
It is important to note that creating a well-functioning transport network goes beyond addressing megaprojects. The Connecting Europe Facility is currently the best tool to realise the TEN-T and ensure that European industries continue to have a strong logistical backbone upon which to rely  for the coming century.
‘However, the sector’s ability to deliver to its full potential hinges on robust and resilient infrastructure, especially in the face of increasing challenges like low water levels and the impacts of climate change. We will need an adequate and dedicated budget line, capable of removing all bottlenecks affecting cross-border connectivity. A centrally managed budget would provide the stability and focus needed to build a resilient future for the sector and the continent.’ concludes Christiaan Van Lancker, President, European IWT Platform and ESO.

Read the full press release

ESO’s annual report 2023

Writing a foreword for the annual report of the EUROPEAN SKIPPER’S ORGANISATION (ESO) VzW is and remains a great challenge for me as president. I am therefore very proud to be able to present this report to you again for the 2023 working year!
And speaking of challenges! The European inland shipping sector – and more specifically our independent inland skippers/inland shipping entrepreneurs – also face extremely challenging issues in the coming years!

Without the ambition to be complete, I will nevertheless venture a brief summary: energy transition, greening, (new) crew regulation, staff shortages, automation, digitalization, etc., etc.
Every company – even outside our sector – is confronted with this today!

More in the macro-economic sphere, I should certainly add the aspect of “modal shift” as far as inland shipping is concerned. The necessary attention to our ecological environment is of course of (over) vital importance. However, in my opinion, this should be accompanied by healthy, pragmatic economic growth and incentives. ESO will work tirelessly to achieve this!
It makes me hopeful that, from my daily practice as an accountant, I can conclude that our (European) supporters are increasingly delving into each of these issues. In this regard, a very strong awareness process has been initiated!

ESO 50 years
The ESO, founded in 1975, will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. The necessary preparations for this are taking more concrete forms! You will be further informed about this in due course. This event is also a unique and fantastic challenge for our directors and myself. Perhaps this will also be a pivotal moment for many of us! We are looking forward to it!

I hereby invite you to read the more detailed explanation in this annual report, with thanks to our esteemed Secretary General Gerard Kester, and to carefully read his critical view on each of these topics.

Christiaan Van Lancker
president

Find the complete foreword and annual report (english/dutch) via this link.

Plenary session CCNR Autumn 2024

On 5 December 2024, the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) held its autumn plenary session. The meeting was chaired by Mr Michiel van Kruiningen, head of the Dutch delegation.
At the plenary meeting, a number of resolutions were adopted, relating to stretches designated as presenting specific risks, the economic situation of inland navigation in Europe, police regulations, technical requirements for vessels and matters concerning the Rhine waterway.

Slight economic improvement
During the first half of 2024, the global economy showed signs of improvement. Inflation fell and, by 2025, is expected to reach 2% in developed economies. However, trade is experiencing more difficulties, with its recovery hampered by numerous trade barriers, and geopolitical crises and wars.
Thus, a slight fall in freight transport was observed for the Rhine (-1.5%*) and almost all the Rhine States during the first half of 2024.

Less paper
Some amendments to the Police regulations for the navigation of the Rhine (RPR) were also adopted.
As a result, certain certificates and other on-board documents relating to the transport of dangerous goods will now be authorised in electronic form on board inland waterway vessels. This amendment ensures consistency between two legal frameworks: the RPR and the ADN Regulatio (2025 edition).
Paperless documents also reduce the administrative burden on the profession.
The amendment will come into force on 1 December 2025.

Click for the the complete press release the links                  

 

 

ESO presents annual report 2018

Foreword ESO’s annual report 2018

Dear reader,

In my capacity as president of the European Skippers’Organisation (ESO) vzw it is truly an honor and pleasure to introduce to you our annual report on the 2018 working year.

Although ESO was already founded in 1975, now that legal entity has recently been acquired, this annual report gives us an opportunity to present to you an insight into the activities with which our skippers’ organisation is involved, naturally with the focus on Europe, the CCNR and other supra-national bodies.

With some sense of pride, I can state without a shadow of a doubt that with modest means, but with an international group of enthusiastic employees, we uphold the interests of inland shipping. In particular we attend to the interests of the independent entrepreneurs / skippers, almost in all its facets.
This is by no means an easy task and, as you can see in this report, a solid internal organisation has been set up.

The external structure has also been put on the European map since the end of 2017 with the establishment of the joint IWT platform (Inland Waterway Transport). In a joint composition with the European Barge Union (EBU), we focus with this platform on the enormous challenges facing the inland shipping sector in Europe.

I would like to take this opportunity to honor our former Secretary-General, Hester Duursema – who left us in 2018- for the groundbreaking work she has achieved in her relatively short stay with ESO!

I sincerely wish to thank all employees in front of and behind the scenes of ESO from the bottom of my heart for their disinterested, but very professional attitude and infectious workforce. Since 2012 I am allowed to be part of this excellent team.

PANTA RHEI… .. everything flows…. everything is moving …

Yours sincerely,                                      

Christiaan VanLancker, president.

Link to the annual report

CESNI publications and work program

Press release CESNI                                                                               

Strasbourg, 10 April 2019 – The European Committee for drawing up Standards in the field of Inland Navigation (CESNI) met in Strasbourg on Wednesday 10 April 2019. The meeting was chaired by Ms Lucia Luijten, representing the Netherlands.

11 Member States (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, United Kingdom), as well as the European Commission, the River Commissions (Moselle, Rhine) and 7 organisations approved by CESNI (Aquapol, EBU, EDINNA, ESO, ETF, GERC, IVR) participated in the meeting of the Committee.

The discussed items are published in the Committee’s press release:            

  • New publications and updates in the field of technical requirements for vessels
  • Debates on uniform models for certificates of qualification
  • Request for approval from the “European Maritime Heritage” (EMH) association
  • Work programme 2019-2021

ES-TRIN 2019 Standard adopted by CESNI

Solutions for difficult transitional measures have been incorporated in ES-TRIN 2019!

Brussels, 13 November 2018 – Press release ESO and EBU.                                
The CESNI-Committee has adopted on 8 November 2019 the new ‘European Standard laying down Technical Requirements for Inland Navigation vessels’, ES-TRIN 2019, replacing ES-TRIN 2017. The solutions for difficult transitional measures are incorporated.

EBU und ESO associated in the “ European Inland Waterway Platform ( shortly IWT Platform)“ have fully participated in the negotiations to make sure that the interests of the inland waterway transport sector will be taken into account as far as possible. The common efforts are now clearly yielding fruit!

Solutions for difficult transitional measures
It takes long to formulate new regulations and if necessary even longer to change the regulations. Detailed studies, extensive deliberations and many years of intense engagement of the inland
waterway transport sector have resulted in a solution for difficult transitional measures. They refer to noise protection, models for electrical equipment and installations, ship’s boats, escape routes and propulsion systems for passenger vessels, all serious bottlenecks for the inland waterway transport sector. EBU and ESO are pleased that with ES-TRIN 2019 solutions in the interest of the inland waterway transport sector were found.

ES-TRIN 2019
In order to guarantee a high level of safety of the transport on inland waterways and at the same time considering the technological developments, the European Standard laying down Technical Requirements for Inland Navigation vessels (ES-TRIN) is subject to a regular revision. ES-TRIN on itself is not binding.
The Central Commission for the Navigation on the Rhine and the European Union will refer to it in their statutory framework, as with currently applicable Standard ES-TRIN 2017.
ES-TRIN 2019 will enter into force on 1 January 2020.

Downloadlinks for the complete document:

(Think before printing, document counts over 500 pages.)

NL – CESNI ES-TRIN 18_15 nl
EN – CESNI ES-TRIN 18_15 en
DE – CESNI ES-TRIN 18_15 de
FR – CESNI ES-TRIN 18_15 fr

ESO launches Barging Terms & Charterparty

ESO Inland Barging Terms & Charterparty version 1
Developed by ESO’s Commission for Tanker Shipping and ADN               pdf-versions      

Brussels, May 3rd, 2018. This day the ESO Inland Barging Terms & Charterparty were launched at the 4th European Oil Barge Conference, organised by ASDEM Ltd in Rotterdam. A step forward in the professionalisation of the inland tanker shipping sector.
The inland tanker shipping needed its own terms and charterparty just as any other professional sector. Therefore back in 2017 ESO started developing these.with a group of experts and members.

              .

Mr. Co Abercrombie (director BLN-Schuttevaer) presenting Barging Terms & Charterparty

The development of the ESO Inland Barging Terms & Charterparty was done from the viewpoint of the shipowner/actual carrier. Striving for consensus as well as creating a document which can be used for negotiation, the ESO Inland Barging Terms & Charterparty form the basis for this. These terms can be seen as a modernisation of the current TTB-conditions or other common terms which are used today.

As a European branch organisation which defends the interests of the private inland shipping entrepreneurs, ESO took its responsibility to form basic terms and a charterparty which strengthens the position of the individual shipowner/actual carrier, active in the inland tanker shipping sector. Meanwhile ESO continues to support the entrepreneurs and create a modern and professional sector, in consensus with all parties involved.

You can download the ESO Inland Barging Terms & Charterparty here: Barging Terms & Charterparty.

At this moment the document is only available in the english language.

Kester succeeds Duursema as ESO’s SG

“Every one can make a difference, but together we bring about change”                

Brussels, 26 February, 2018 (ESO) – During the New Year’s reception of the ESO on February 26th in Brussels, nestor Gerard Kester was appointed as the new SG of the ESO. He succeeds the departing Secretary General, Hester Duursema (equally managing director of Royal BLN-Schuttevaer). The chairman Christiaan van Lancker spoke praising words about the role Duursema has played for the sector. He summarised her contribution as “sublime” and predicted a prosperous future for her.

.                                                                    

Duursema has full confidence in her successor. “Gerard does not only have an incredible knowledge base of inland shipping, but he also has a lot of heart for the sector. These are things that ESO is known for, passion and expertise. “Kester has been involved in inland navigation for decades. For example, his first job at the end of the seventies, was to ensure that women on board were allowed to count as crew members.

ESO also said goodbye to Herman Verschueren, Advisor-General DG Shipping, Exploitation and Intermodality at the FPS Mobility and Transport. Verschueren will retire after many years of involvement with IWT. We are very grateful to him for the enormous commitment to the establishment of the European inland navigation platform. Until his very last working days he has put his teeth into it.

               
          Christiaan van Lancker with Mr. Herman Verschueren and Mrs. Gesine Meissner

Human Capital
In line with the above, the president’s speech was dominated by the theme of “human capital”. 2017 was a historic year, when we look at the commitment that is being made to better safeguard and develop human capital. The professional qualification directive should ensure that the pool of qualified people is increased, since it concerns harmonisation of the way we test which competences. Gesine Meissner, MEP for the FDP, was our guest speaker and she stressed how difficult it was to reach a political compromise. Some countries did not want to participate at all, other countries found it difficult to fit it into the national school systems, etc .. After a few questions we concluded that the proof of the pudding is in the eating, whether it is workable and whether it delivers what we intended, namely a larger pool of qualified people working in our sector.

In addition to this important topic, the president also referred to the research together with the European employee organisation (ETF), the so-called TASCS-study. This study looks at the crew requirements, what fits with the current time and what a system should look like? The aim is to develop  a Add Newsystem flexible enough to adapt at current times and can adapt to upcoming developments such as semi-autonomous sailing.

Warning for disappearing berthing sites
Serious bottlenecks have also been identified in relation to the safeguarding of human capital. For example, the various minimum wage laws that have been implemented in Germany and France. This is causing a lot of red tape, while wages for the nautical staff are fair at the moment. The Working Time Directive is also very cumbersome. But the biggest pain at the moment is the fact that the shore infrastructure along the Rhine is deteriorating. Local communities (f.e. Colon) have no idea how inland shipping works and the importance of inland shipping for the ins and outs of their economy. Inland shipping can simply not operate without good berths and car drop-offs. There is a huge challenge to reverse this trend. Here the European IWT platform will work very closely together with the German member organisations (BDB and BDS). Because inland shipping is all about people, but then people have to be able to work and live on board.
Van Lancker concluded his speach with: “Every one of us can make a difference, but together we bring about change!”. Only joint efforts can make things move.

Poland signs Geneva convention ship’s dimensions

On 5 January 2018, the Convention on the Measurement of Inland Waterways Vessels drawn up in Geneva in 1966 was published in the Journal of Laws of the Republic of Poland.

The Convention ratified by the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda leads to the adoption by Poland of newer, more detailed and adequate standards for measurements of inland waterway vessels that are adequate to contemporary conditions. This will allow equating the statute of Polish vessels by recognizing their measurement certificates with similar documents issued by the States Parties to the newer Convention.

The unification of the method of measuring ships within the states of the parties to the Convention allows for a reliable approach to inland waterway vessels. Their dimensions are taken into account, which translates into the standardization of technical parameters of inland waterways – including clearances under bridges, as well as the unification of rolling stock, which facilitates the free flow of workers in inland navigation.

The convention is available at this address:

http://dziennikustaw.gov.pl/DU/2018/31/1