THE DANUBE WATERWAY– Economic Geography from the Presentation Series „Basics of Inland Navigation“

Waterways in Europe > km of navigable waterways 2013 EU-wide 6,9 % of modal split  percentage strongly differs among the European countries Netherlands: highest share of inland navigation in the EU (around 33 %) about 500 million tons of goods/year were transported on the inland waterways of the European Union 2 source: eurostat

European Waterways France : longest waterways in Europe (8.800 km) Netherlands : most dense waterways (6.000 km, serving all parts of the country) Rhine:  2/3 of European waterway transports include the Rhine  about 500 million tons of goods are transported on the Rhine annually Rhine-Main-Danube-Corridor is the most important inland waterway in Europe further information: 3 The Inland Waterway Axis Rhine-Main-Danube source: viadonau, Inland Navigation Europe Click here to open

Port of Rotterdam located in the Rhine-Meuse Delta (mouth of the Rhine, North Sea) about 440 Mio. tons of freight transhipment (2013) biggest sea port of Europe* fourth-largest sea port worldwide* about 100 km² port area (40 km length) employees fairway 26 m deep (=without limitation of a ships draught) * on the basis of total cargo throughput 4 further information

Rhine-Main-Danube Axis 5 © viadonau, Inland Navigation Europe The Inland Waterway Axis Rhine-Main-Danube Rhine Main-Danube-Canall Main Danube

Rhine-Main-Danube-Corridor most important inland waterway axis on the European mainland international waterway between the North Sea in the West an the Black Sea in the East total length: km connects 15 countries Main-Danube-Canal since 1992 opened to navigation 6

Danube Region 90 Mio. inhabitants transport mode for industrial sites along the Danube steel, paper, petroleum and chemical industries along with the mechanical engineering and automotive industry are to be found within the catchment area of the Danube fertile soil-> agricultural raw materials 7

Danube– data and facts second largest river in Europe km long from the Black Forest to the Black Sea flows from West to East (the only big European river which flows into this direction) 8 source: viadonau Overview of the waterways in the Danube region

Danube– data and Facts Danube passes through 10 bordering states Austrian segment: 351 km Romanian segment of km largest share river basin covers km² ->  important transport mode  important source of energy- and drinking water  valuable recreational and living environment 9 source: viadonau Danube Bordering States

Comparison Rhine and Danube RhineDanube 26 billion tkm carryings (2010) 43 Mio. t freight volume (2010) km length 90 billion tkm carryings (2010) 300 Mio. t freight volume (2010) 885 km length 10 The Danube is 2,7 times longer On the Rhine 6,9 times more goods are transported carrying is 3,5 times higher Danube traffic is characterised by longer distances the Rhine-Main-Danube inland waterways as the most important transport route for environmentally friendly transports

Subdivision of the Danube subdivision of the navigable part of the Danube into 3 main sections: Upper Danube Kelheim–Gönyű, 623 km length, due to the high gradient, this part has the characteristics of a mountain river Central Danube Gönyű–Turnu-Severin, 860 km length Lower Danube Turnu-Severin–Sulina, 931 km length 11 source: viadonau Gradient curve of the Danube

to overcome differences in height along a waterway (river power plants) 9 locks at the Austrian Danube 18 locks along the Danube lock operation: about 40 minutes ( 50 % of it required to navigate the vessel in and out of the lock chamber) 12 Lock in Freudenau Lock Facilities source: viadonau lock operations were carried out free of charge 24 hours/7 days a week

Austrian Locks 13 source: viadonau 9 locks/river power plants on the Austrian Danube

Aschach, Ottensheim, Abwinden Austrian Locks 14 source: viadonau Aschach, Ottensheim, Abwinden

Wallsee, Persenbeug, Melk Austrian Locks 15 source: viadonau

Bridges – navigability bridge clearance: important for container transports and cabin vessels (possibility -> ballast water) from the Austrian Danube to the east ≥ 7m at times of highest navigable water level -> 3 layered container transport possible source: viadonau 16 highest fixed point of the vessel is an important parameter to calculate the bridge clearance

Bridges – along the Danube 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 17 source: viadonau

Availability of the Danube navigability of 97,8 %* or 357 days per year weather-related closures caused by high water or ice formation possible low water periods (water level vessels can not be fully loaded -> less rentability * observation period: 1997– maintaining the waterway (e.g. riverbed surveying) and information on fairway depth (RIS) improve the usability of the Danube source: viadonau

Fairway Maintenance fairway maintenance circle:  regular bathymetric surveys of the riverbed  maintenance works  dredging shallow areas  continuous information on the current state of the fairway in Austria viadonau – Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft mbH in charge of maintenance 19 source: viadonau Fairway maintenance cycle

Sources viadonau (2005): Manual on Danube Navigation, Wien. viadonau (2013): Manual on Danube Navigation, Vienna. Order: viadonau (2015): Danube Navigation in Austria– Annual Report 2014, Vienna. Download : INeS Danube information platform on intermodal inland navigation Homepage : Brandenburg, Oelfke, Oelfke, Waschkau (2012): Güterverkehr –Spedition - Logistik 20

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