Association for European Inland Navigation and Waterways

Phone +49-203-392190-15

Technical committee for waterways and ports

A joint committee of VBW and Hafentechnische Gesellschaft (HTG) Establishment of the Technical Committee: 1977

The Technical Committee meets twice a year.

It both takes up current problems in the practice and initiates and tracks new developments. The results of the work of the Technical Committee shall be presented to professionals and the interested public in annual reports, on events as well as in publications of the VBW.

 

Aims & Tasks
  • Collection of information to be able to comment up-to-date transport economic problems
  • Information of the public regarding the status and future of inland water transport
  • Intense discussion about economic effects of important projects and concepts concerning traffic policy, fiscal policy, energy policy and environmental policy
  • Development of basic solution ideas for strengthen the transport system consisting of barges, waterways and inland ports
For this purpose the committee examines, e.g.
  • Infrastructure projects in context of waterway policy
  • Company- and fleetstructure
  • Eco friendliness of inland water transport in comparison to other competitors
  • Freight development and profitability in inland navigation
  • Non-traffic functions of waterways and their benefit
  • Competitive conduct of the transport carriers and the competitive position of inland navigation in comparison
  • Chances of intermodality and opportunities of collaboration
  • Transportdemands/-markets
  • Economic-logistic organization systems and rationalization opportunities
Structure & work methods

The members of the committee represent different fields, e.g.:

  • Barge companies
  • Shipyard and suppliers
  • Waterways and Shipping administration
  • Port operations
  • Engineering consultants and classification associations
  • Employers mutual insurance association
  • Science and research
Members
Vorsitzender
Dipl.-Ing. Michael Heinz

Generaldirektion Wasserstraßen und Schifffahrt, Zentrale Bonn
Ivo ten Broeke Rijkswaterstaat
Meike Eilts Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur - Referat WS 11
Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Groß Hülskens Wasserbau GmbH & Co. KG
Pavel Hamalcik CSPL, a.s.
Petra Herzog Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde
Dipl.-Ing. Matthias Küßner Generaldirektion Wasserstraßen und Schifffahrt,Standort Hannover
Dipl.-Ing. Heinz-Hermann Mecklenburg Berufsgenossenschaft für Fahrzeughaltungen
Klaus Michels Amt für Neckarausbau Heidelberg
Kai Nandelstaedt Reederei Schwaben GmbH
Dr.-Ing. Manuela Osterthun Generaldirektion Wasserstraßen und Schifffahrt,Standort Hannover
Dr. Markus Schmautz WIGES Wasserbauliche Infrastrukturges. mbH
Prof. Dr. Andreas Schmidt Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau
Erik L. Schultz Koninklijke BLN-Schuttevaer
Dipl.-Ing. Hermann Steidlinger  Sachverständiger für Schiff-, Maschinenbau, Krane, Feuerlösch-Anlagen der Binnenschifffahrt
Martin Strack FICHTNER Water & Transportation GmbH
Gerhard Straub Neckarhafen Plochingen GmbH
Michael Ströh Hafentechnische Gesellschaft e.V.
Dieter Thurm DeltaPort GmbH & Co. KG

 

Previous committee chairmen

1977 bis 1987: Dr. Karl-Otto Hördemann
1987 bis 1995: Dr. Gerhard Schuh
1995 bis 2003: Konsul Prof. Dr. Gerd W. Hulsman
2003 bis 2008: Dr. Heino Schulz

Work results

Within the committee the following publications has been developed respectively prepared:

  • Statement on the need of tax exemption for gasoil
  • Additional statement regarding the implementation of a petroleum tax in inland navigation
  • Status of inland water transport in Europe
  • The fleet, the companies and the employees in inland navigation
  • The capability and profitablitiy of inland navigation
  • Consequences from shifting potentials in carriage of goods
  • Actionplan to activate economic ressources for the transportation system barge/waterways/inland ports
Projects

The committee deepens currently into these issues:

  • Internalisation of external diseconomies and advantages
  • Terminal concept for intermodal transport
  • Future financing of infrastructure
  • Assurance of the functionality of waterway network
  • Removal of bottlenecks in the European waterway network
  • Evaluation process of the cost-benefit analysis in conjunction with the update of the "Bundesverkehrswegeplan"
  • Integrated traffic concept from the government of the Federal republic of Germany
  • Status of inland navigation in European transport policy

OFFICE

Verein für europäische Binnenschiffahrt und Wasserstraßen e.V.
Haus Rhein
Dammstrasse 15-17
47119 Duisburg
Germany

Contact

Phone +49-203/392190-15
Fax: +49 - 203/392190-11
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.