Working Group on Technical Affairs (WG TECH)

Working Group on Technical Affairs (WG TECH) was held at the Danube Commission (DC) in Budapest from 15^th to 18^th of October 2019. The event brought together experts from 11 DC countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine), including the representative of the Conference of Directors of Danube shipping companies – members of Bratislava agreements.

Panel discussion covered multiple technical facets of the DC’s work. The nautical part focused on the updating of the General Provisions for the Navigation on the Danube (GPND/DFND), languages of communication in Danube navigation, RIS, professional qualifications for crew and personnel, indicator of river kilometers, and navigation conditions for vessels less than 20 m in length. The technical matters dealt with technical requirements in the light of EU Directive 2016/1629 and the DC participation in CESNI Committee, including air pollution reduction, and radiocommunication. Another topic of interest was the hydrotechnical and hydrometeorological aspects, inter alia DC’s Master Plan, Good Navigation Status, hydrological databank, and climate change. Transport of dangerous goods, water pollution, ports, Joint Statement process, cargo and passenger transport development, and cross-border activities represented the maintenance and environmental cluster. The experts’ discussions concluded with consideration of statistical and economic issues based on a new approach to the most efficient way of managing statistical information and releasing publications on market observation.

Presentations: