Poland, although having an extended network of inland waterways, has been struggling for years with the problem of decreasing loads. The latest study published by the Central Statistical Office (GUS) on 27 July 2023 presents alarming data on the state of the sector in Poland.
Reduction in transport
In 2023 inland waterway transport carried only 1689,2 1000 tons of cargo, a decrease of 18.6% compared to the erstwhile year. Transport work decreased by 8.3%, reaching a value of 408.4 million tkm (tonocylometers). The CSO in its study points to respective major reasons for this trend, specified as underdevelopment of waterways and unfavourable navigation conditions, which affect the basic plan parameters of rolling stock, specified as the comparatively tiny burden capacity of the barge. As a result, water transport becomes little efficient and competitive than another modes of transport.
State of the waterways
In 2023 the dimension of the inland waterway network in Poland was 3767 km, of which 2522 km were regulated navigable rivers. The remainder consisted of sewered sections of rivers (656 km), canals (335 km) and navigable lakes (255 km). 3549 km was exploited, representing 94.2% of the full dimension of navigable roads. Unfortunately, only 5.5% of the dimension of Polish waterways met global requirements (class IV and V), which means that no of Polish waterways is part of the network of global transport corridors (TEN-T). The remaining network consists of regional roads (classes I, II and III), the full dimension of which was 3561.5 km.
Fleet and rolling stock structure
In 2023, the number of pushers and tugs in Poland was 141 units, which means an increase of 17 units compared to the erstwhile year. The passenger rolling stock counted 109 units, or 7 little than a year earlier. The number of self-propelled barges has besides decreased to 58 units, while the number of barges without their own drive has increased by 15 units, reaching 192. The structure of shoulder rolling stock in Poland is dominated by units utilized in the pushed system, which constituted 76.4% of the full shoulder rolling stock. In 2023, they carried 845.9 1000 tons of cargo, representing 50.1% of the full goods transported by inland waterway. Most of these units have mediocre structural parameters and require lower method standards for water infrastructure.
Rolling stock degradation
The CSO study underlines that a large part of inland waterway rolling stock is decapitalised and requires replacement. The majority of pushers utilized (68.5%), over half of pushbars (54.7%), and all self-propelled barges were manufactured in 1949–1979. Their age importantly exceeds the normative lifetime, and further exploitation is possible only thanks to constant modernization.
International and national transport
In 2023, 75.5% of inland waterway transport by Polish shipowners took place as part of global transport. Despite a decrease in the volume of transport between abroad ports by 4.8%, their share in global transport increased overall to 86.5%. However, cargo shipments exported (by 19.9%) and imported (by 82.3%) fell. In home transport, there was a 38.0% simplification in freight transport (to 414.2 1000 tonnes) and 26.2% decrease in freight traffic (to 22.1 million tkm). The average transport distance of 1 tonne in global transport was 303 km and in home transport 53.3 km.
Freight structure
The largest drop in transport was recorded in cargo groups specified as coal and lignite, oil and natural gas and petroleum refining products. On the another hand, the increase was recorded in the transport of food products, beverages, tobacco, metallic ores and metallic products. Despite the decrease in the quantity of cargo transported, in 2023 there was an increase in passenger travel. 109 passenger ships carried a full of 1128 000 people, an increase of 2.5% compared to the erstwhile year. Transport work amounted to 12,269.4 1000 passenger-kilometres, which represents a decrease of 9.4%.
Safety and the future of inland waterway transport
The CSO indicated inland transport as 1 of the safest modes of transport. Only 3 accidents were reported in 2023, no of which afraid the transport of dangerous goods. Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment Urszula Zielińska stresses that river transport is “completely unprofitable” and “kills our rivers”. The government announced drastic changes in plans for the future of the Odra River, giving up the construction of hydrotechnical facilities to invest in the reconstruction of the ancients and natural flood sites.
Controversy and Social Resistance
These changes met with opposition from various interest groups. The erstwhile government planned to make Odra a trade route, but Deputy Minister Zielińska described these plans as "mirrages of sand". She noted that river transport was unprofitable and harmed river ecosystems. Nevertheless, in the west of Europe, many rivers, specified as Ren, are utilized for trade. The German Ministry of Environment expressed concerns about the elimination of Oder, which led to a legal dispute between Germany and Poland.
Examples from Western Europe
One of the most sailing rivers in Europe is the German section of the Rhine. It carried out a process of regulation on a immense scale between 1817 and 1876, shortening the course of the river by over 80 km. This shows that inland navigation can be an effective means of transport if appropriate infrastructure and navigation conditions are met.
Summary
Inland transport in Poland faces many challenges which require comprehensive actions and investments. Improving infrastructure, modernisation of rolling stock and legislative changes can contribute to the competitiveness of this sector. It is besides crucial to take into account environmental and social aspects so that the improvement of inland transport is sustainable and benefits both the economy and the environment.
Continued here:
In Poland the importance of inland waterway transport is decreasing
