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Waterway Infrastructure = key factor for the competitiveness of inland navigation

Quality and reliability of�waterway infrastructure
Fairway (depending on infrastructure�- bridges, locks,…)
Ports as multimodal hubs
Maintenance of infrastructure
Weather conditions
Geographic location (topography and �political/economic importance)

January 23

Source: https://pixabay.com/photo-1172271/

The infrastructure of inland waterways is a key factor for the competitiveness of inland navigation. Therefore, it is crucial to guarantee the quality and reliability of waterways to enhance an increased use of inland waterways as a transport mode. In this context, the fairway can be identified as one of the most important infrastructure elements to enable economical efficient transport on inland waterways. Since transport can‘t be performed only by an inland vessel in most cases, transhipments to other transport modes such as truck are necessary. Consequently, multimodal hubs with appropriate infrastructure are needed to enhance the use of different transport modes within the transport chain. Thus, ports are an important infrastructure element to connect inland waterways to other transport modes. In addition, regular maintenance is needed to guarantee quality and reliability of waterway infrastructure and continuous improvement of the infrastructure.

The waterway infrastructure is also influenced by external factors such as weather conditions and the location of the respective inland waterway. Weather conditions can be very different within Europe and on a global perspective. Therefore, transport conditions on inland waterways can vary in different countries and continents.

In addition, the topography of a country and the political and economic importance of inland navigation in the respective country have an influence on the competitiveness of inland navigation. Even though a country may have a wide network of navigable inland waterways, political promotion for inland navigation is required in most countries to guarantee an increased use of inland waterway transport as an alternative to transport by truck.

Sources:

viadonau, “Good Practice Manual on Inland Waterway Maintenance. Focus: Fairway maintenance of free-flowing rivers”, (2016) p.6, Online: http://www.savacommission.org/dms/docs/dokumenti/documents_publications/platina/platina_2_manual_on_waterway_maintenance_final.pdf [18.08.2016]

Kathrin Obst, „Trends in Inland Ports and Current EU Policy Developments“, (2014), slide 8, Online: http://maritimeforum.se/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/141209-EFIP-K-Obst.pdf [18.08.2016]

Juha Schweighofer, “The impact of extreme weather and climate change on inland waterway transport” in Natural Hazards, May 2014, Volume 72, Issue 1, p 23-40, p. 25, Online: http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/784/art%253A10.1007%252Fs11069-012-0541-6.pdf?originUrl=http%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1007%2Fs11069-012-0541-6&token2=exp=1458820661~acl=%2Fstatic%2Fpdf%2F784%2Fart%25253A10.1007%25252Fs11069-012-0541-6.pdf%3ForiginUrl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Flink.springer.com%252Farticle%252F10.1007%252Fs11069-012-0541-6*~hmac=032e89eee4f60cce5e385675e6bf29ec2c72b55e5f7f0aee984e94603b61c34b [18.08.2016]

Eurostat, “Freight transport statistics – modal split”, (2016), Online: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Freight_transport_statistics_-_modal_split [18.08.2016]

Indexmundi, URL: http://www.indexmundi.com/map/?t=10&v=116&r=eu&l=en [18.08.2016]

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Critical for transport �on waterway

Possible freight volume depends �on fairway depth

width and course of fairway are marked �by internationally standardised fairway signs

Influencing cost-effectiveness of inland �waterway transport

January 23

The fairway or fairway channel is the area of a body of inland water for which certain fairway depths and fairway widths are maintained for navigation purposes. The width and the course of the fairway are marked by internationally standardised fairway signs such as buoys or marks on river banks.

The fairway depth is critical for the transport on a waterway because the possible freight volume of a vessel depends on the fairway depth. Water depths available in the fairway determine how many tons of goods may be carried on an inland cargo vessel. The more cargo loaded on board of a vessel, the higher is its draught loaded, i.e. the draught of a ship when stationary and when carrying a certain load. The draughts loaded which may be realised by navigation companies have a decisive influence on the cost-effectiveness of inland waterway transport.

Sources:

viadonau, “Manual on Danube navigation”, (2013), p.51-54

Canadian Coast Guard, “Guidelines for the safe design of commercial shipping channels”, (2001), p.15, Online: http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/folios/00020/docs/gdreport01-eng.pdf [18.08.2016]

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Different factors influence Fairway Depth:

under keel clearance = safety clearance to riverbed
squat 🡪 ships sink when they are in motion, depends on cross sections
cross section of fairway (depth and width) �base on minimal cross section
Maintenance

January 23

For rivers, the determination of the cross section of the fairway, i.e. its depth and width, is based on a “minimal” cross section. This minimal cross section is inferred from the “most shallow” and “most narrow” stretches of a certain river section at low water levels.

In calculating the potential draught loaded of a vessel on the basis of current fairway depths, the dynamic squat as well as an appropriate safety clearance to the riverbed, the so-called underkeel clearance, have to be considered in order to prevent groundings of cargo vessels in motion. The total depth of a ship equals the sum of its draught loaded and its squat.

The safety clearance is termed underkeel clearance and is defined as the distance between the bottom of a vessel in motion and the highest point of the riverbed. Underkeel clearance should not be less than 20 centimetres for a riverbed made of gravel or 30 centimetres for a rocky bed in order to prevent damage to the ship’s propeller and/or its bottom.

Squat refers to the level to which a ship sinks while it is in motion compared to its stationary condition on waterways with a limited cross section (i.e. rivers and canals). A loaded vessel has a squat within a range of about 20 to 40 centimetres, depending on the different cross sections of a river and the velocity of a vessel.

The authorities and organisations responsible for maintaining a waterway aim to keep fairways at a constant minimum depth, e.g. by conservational dredging measures in the fairway. These so-called minimum fairway depths of a fairway are geared to low navigable water level (LNWL) as a statistical reference value for the water level.

Sources:

viadonau, “Manual on Danube navigation”, (2013), p.51-54

Canadian Coast Guard, “Guidelines for the safe design of commercial shipping channels”, (2001), p.15, Online: http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/folios/00020/docs/gdreport01-eng.pdf [18.08.2016]

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Can span a waterway or a lock �facility (port entrance, river power �plant)

Passage depends on

bridge clearance
highest fixed point of vessel (HNWL*)
water level 🡪 fairway width (LNWL*)
distance between bridge pillars

January 23

*HNWL = Highest navigable water level

*LNWL = Lowest navigable water level

Bridges can span a waterway, a port entrance or a river power plant and hence a lock facility. On free-flowing, i.e. unimpounded river sections, water levels can be subject to considerable fluctuations which influences the potential passage under bridges at high water levels.

Depending on the distances between the individual bridge pillars there will be one or more – in most cases two – openings for passage of vessels. If a bridge has two openings for passage which are dedicated for navigation purposes, one is generally used for upstream traffic and the other for downstream traffic. Whether a vessel can pass under a bridge depends on the bridge clearance above the water level and on the highest fixed point of the vessel.

The air draught of a vessel is the vertical distance between the waterline and the highest fixed point of a vessel once movable parts such as masts, radar devices or the steering house have been removed or lowered. The air draught of a vessel can be reduced by ballasting the vessel. For this purpose, ballast water is pumped into the ballast tanks or solid ballast is loaded.

In addition to the height of bridge openings and a vessel’s air draught, the bridge profile is another factor which determines whether a vessel is able to pass under a bridge. For sloped or arch-shaped bridges, not only a vertical but also a sufficiently dimensioned horizontal safety clearance must be ensured. As the figures indicating the height and width of an opening for passage below a bridge always refer to the entire width of the fairway, the clearance below the crest of arch-shaped bridges, i.e. below the centre of the bridge, is higher than at the limits of the fairway.

On free-flowing sections of rivers, vertical bridge clearance is indicated in relation to the highest navigable water level (HNWL), whereby the indicated passage height corresponds to the distance in metres between the lowest point of the lower edge of the bridge over the entire fairway width and the highest navigable water level. The width of the fairway below a bridge is indicated in relation to low navigable water level (LNWL). In river sections regulated by dams, the maximum impounded water level serves as the reference value both for the vertical and the horizontal bridge clearance. The reference level on artificial canals is the upper operational water level.

Sources:

viadonau, “Manual on Danube navigation”, (2013), p.57-59

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130 bridges along the whole Danube

42 bridges on the Austrian Danube

maximum 2-3 layered container transport

possible on the Danube

actually nearly no container transport on the Upper Danube (not profitable)

container transport mainly on the Rhine

🡪 Influence on cost-effectiveness of inland waterway transport

source: viadonau

Between Kelheim and Sulina, a total of 130 bridges span the international Danube waterway. Of these 130 Danube bridges, 21 are bridges over locks and weirs. By far the highest density of bridges, namely 89, can be found on the Upper Danube: 41 bridges span the German section of the Danube, 42 the Austrian and six the Slovakian sections of the Danube. On the Central Danube there are a total of 34 bridges; on the Lower Danube there are only seven. Therefore, maximum 2-3 layered container transport is possible on the Danube and there is actually nearly no container transport on the Upper Danube. This is because transport would not be profitable. In comparison, a lot of container transports are performed on the Rhine, due to other prerequisites in terms of infrastructure.

Bridges mainly influence the cost-effectiveness of inland waterway transport because they influence the transport volume of inland vessels.

Sources:

viadonau, “Manual on Danube navigation”, (2013), p.57.

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Important for competitive waterway infrastructure

Waterways as living systems are influenced by constant changes

Riverbed surveying to guarantee minimum fairway parameters

Dredging works required

Establishing a „fairway maintenance cycle“

January 23

In the case that the minimum fairway parameters are not achieved, inland waterways cannot be used economical. Therefore, continuous maintenance is crucial to guarantee the competitiveness of inland waterways.

The responsible waterway administration is obliged to take suitable measures in order to re-establish the minimum fairway parameters.

This is generally accomplished by dredging shallow areas (fords) within the fairway. Dredging is an excavation operation with the purpose of removing bottom sediments (sand and gravel) and disposing of them at a different location in the river in due consideration of ecological aspects. Dredging works require initial planning on the basis of the results gained from regular riverbed surveying and a concluding monitoring (control of success) of the works, which have to be carried out by the responsible waterway administration. As these tasks of maintaining the fairway are recurrent and interdependent, they can be described as a “fairway maintenance cycle”. Among the most important tasks of this cycle are:

• Regular bathymetric surveys of the riverbed in order to identify problematic areas in the fairway (reduced depth and widths)

• Planning and prioritization of necessary interventions (dredging measures, realignment of the fairway, traffic management) based on the analysis of up-to-date riverbed surveys

• Execution of maintenance works (mainly dredging measures, including success control)

• Provision of continuous and target group-specific information on the

Sources:

viadonau, “Manual on Danube navigation”, (2013), p.63/64

Inland Navigation Europe, „Maintenance of inland waterway is key“, URL: http://www.inlandnavigation.eu/news/infrastructure/maintenance-of-inland-waterways-is-key/ [18.08.2016]

Danube Commission, “ Fairway Rehabilitation and Maintenance Master Plan - – Danube and its navigable tributaries”, (2014), p.6, Online: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/inland/news/2014-12-04-danube-ministrial-meeting/masterplan.pdf p[18.08.2016]

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