Press release

European Social Partners welcome the Inland Waterway Transport Directive on recognition of professional qualifications

“Fair play and a level playing field are the core demands of the sector, and these can only be achieved through European legislation,” says Christiaan Van Lancker, President ESO.

Today, the Plenary of the European Parliament adopted the Commission’s proposal, thereby taking a significant step towards a European labour market for IWT professionals as well as harmonised working and living conditions in this international transport sector.
The European Barge Union (EBU), the European Skippers Organisation (ESO) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) express their satisfaction on the adoption of the Directive on recognition of professional qualifications for European Inland Waterways Transport (IWT).

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Standards for professional competencies accepted by working group                                    

Strasbourg CCNR – The European Committee for drawing up Standards in the field of Inland Navigation (CESNI) met in Strasbourg on Thursday 18 October 2017; for the last time the meeting was chaired by Mr. Max Nilles, the representative of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Taking part in the discussions were twelve Member States, as well as the Sava Commission, the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), and several organisations accredited with the CESNI. The Republic of Ukraine was officially recognised as an Observer State at this meeting.
At this last meeting of 2017, the Committee decided to grant the Republic of Ukraine Observer State
status. The Committee also confirmed the setting up of a temporary working group for electronic systems aboard inland navigation vessels.

This meeting was also the opportunity for honouring the Committee’s 2016-2017 Presidency, provided
by the Luxembourg representative, Mr. Max Nilles.
The 2018-2019 Presidency will be provided by Mrs. Lucia Luijten, represetative for the Netherlands.

Standards for professional qualifications
Concerning the standards for competencies, the working group on professional qualifications accepted the proposals of the corresponding non-permanent working group for CESNI standards.
Work on drawing up CESNI standards regarding the practical examinations for boatmaster, the radar
certificate, passenger navigation and LNG expert is still in progress. Initial drafts are to be submitted to the working group in November next.
Last September the criteria for the medical fitness of crew members were discussed in detail by the working group. As for the competencies’ standards, a final consideration within the working group and the draft which will be forwarded to the committee are anticipated for the November meeting.
The expert group for simulator standards, set up by CESNI, drafted a proposal for technical requirements and technical test procedures for vessel handling simulators, which the working group can examine in November this year.

Practical guide available in four languages                                 

CCNR published recently a stability guide for container transport in inland navigation. To achieve this ready-to-use practical guide ESO, EBU, Aquapol and CCNR did work closely together.  For the benefit of all stakeholders on board and ashore it is decided to publish this guide to good practice in container barging.
The guide illustrates in an easy-way the basic principles of stability and shows real-life (tried and tested) examples influencing stability in a positive way.

The target groups for this guide include as well the inland container navigation boatmasters as the crew members responsible for the stability and safety of their vessel in every day situations.
At the same time, this guide is also helpful for employees in all sectors closely associated with IWT, e.g. for employees of relevant authorities, terminal staff, forwarders, etc.

You can download the guide by clicking one of the flags above.

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.

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