Joint workshop on the potential of fairway information services and active traffic management to cope with low water conditions

On February 28, the Danube Commission (DC) together with EUSDR PA1A organized a joint workshop on the topic of “The potential of fairway information services and active traffic management to cope with low water conditions”. The event was held in connection with the Expert Meeting on Hydrotechnical Matters, as part of the implementation of the Grant III agreement between the DC and the European Commission.

In the opening of the event, welcoming remarks were addressed by Manfred Seitz, Director General of the Danube Commission, and Markus Simoner, Priority Area Coordinator PA1a. Special guest of the meeting was Alain Baron, EC/DG MOVE, Senior Advisor of the TEN-T Rhine-Danube Corridor Coordinator. Mr Baron stressed the importance of a well-maintained Danube waterway for the EU Green Deal and the EU-UA solidarity lane action plan. He also referred to the obligation of EU states to ensure Good Navigation Status for the TEN-T Rhine-Danube core corridor and to the intentions of the European Commission to include waterway maintenance in the future TEN-T funding scheme of the next EU financial period.

The workshop aimed to present the participants with case studies and current practices in the maintenance of the Upper, Middle and Lower Danube River fairway. Representatives and experts from member states, and the barge and shipping industries took part in the event.

The Austrian waterway administration viadonau, in its function as technical secretariat of the EUSDR/PA1A gave a presentation on the topic of improving fairway information services, with an overview of existing and planned services for Danube navigation. Representatives of the Hungarian General Directorate for Water Management (OVF) introduced case studies of the practices on the Middle Danube regarding traffic regulations during the low water periods, as well as management activities foreseen to improve navigation conditions. Focusing on the activities on the Lower Danube, the representatives from Romanian and Bulgarian authorities presented the actions carried out in the last few years, and those foreseen to cope with extreme water conditions through active traffic management.

The workshop was appraised as a great initiative bringing together representatives of both waterway administrations and transport companies, to contribute to a good common understanding and more cargo on the Danube River, fostering better results in the future.

More information about the workshop and presentations:

• Viktoria Weissenburger, viadonau and PA1a – Improving fairway information services: Overview of existing and planned services for Danube navigation
• Romeo Soare (AFDJ) and Ivelin Zanev (APPD) – Case study Lower Danube: coping with extreme water conditions through active traffic management
• Csaba Bede and Anita Reichardt (OVF) Case study Middle Danube: current practices on traffic regulation during low water periods
• Balazs Hlavacska DDSG – MAHART – Go ahead and make Danube much navigable together!