Workshop on Education and Professional Training in Inland Navigation discusses the challenges in ensuring skilled labor for Danube navigation

On 28 January 2026, the Danube Commission (DC) and EDINNA (Education in Inland Navigation) hosted a joint half-day workshop at the DC headquarters in Budapest on education and professional training in inland navigation.

Held in a hybrid format and chaired by Manfred Seitz (DC Secretariat) and Gabriel Benga (EDINNA), the workshop brought together representatives from navigation authorities, the European Commission (DG MOVE), shipping industry stakeholders and labour unions, as well as educational institutions from European and Danube states.

Participants acknowledged that there is currently a skilled workforce shortage and discussed the need to strengthen and better harmonise training standards and certification across countries, while maintaining high quality throughout.

EDINNA’s Gabriel Benga stressed that qualified personnel is a strategic priority for Danube navigation, particularly in the context of the sector’s digital and green transitions. “We train people on yesterday’s ships while they are already working on tomorrow’s vessels”, he said.

The importance of practical onboard experience—complementing simulators and new digital tools—was highlighted, along with the need to reduce legal and administrative barriers for students and qualified professionals from non-EU countries (in particular Serbia).

The workshop’s conclusions were presented to the DC Expert Group for personnel issues in navigation on the Danube (EM PERS) on 29 January 2026. A full list of the presentations given at the workshop, as well as at the expert meeting is available here.