RIVER INFORMATION SERVICES

As policy implementation flows from research

E U R O P E A NC O M M I S S I O N

Directorate-General for Energy and Transport

CONTENTS

FOREWORD 1

1 POLICY BACKGROUND 3

2 RIS EXPLAINED 5

3 RESEARCHING AND DEVELOPING RIS 9

4 THE BENEFITS OF RESEARCH 13

5 EUROPEAN POLICY DEVELOPMENTS 16

6 LOOKING TO THE FUTURE 18

7 CONCLUSIONS 19

8 REFERENCES 20

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS 21

This publication was produced by the EXTR@Web consortium for DG Energy andTransport. The information in this document has been collected by the partners in theproject on the basis of material provided by via-donau, the development agency forinland navigation, which was involved in numerous research projects to fosterinfrastructure and services for the Danube navigation.

We would like to pass our grateful thanks to via donau - Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft mbH for their support and technical review of the manuscript.

While the information contained in this brochure is correct to the best of ourknowledge, neither the consortium nor the European Commission can be heldresponsible for any inaccuracy, or accept responsibility for any use made thereof.

Additional information on transport research programmes and related projects isavailable on the Transport Research Knowledge Centre web site on the EuropeanCommission’s Europa server:http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/extra

In addition, a public e-mail enquiry service is available at:helpdesk@transport-research.infoInformation on the wider transport activities of the European Union is available onthe internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server:http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/energy_transport/index_en.html

Manuscript completed in November 2004.© European Communities, 2005

Photo credits: via-donau (cover, (i), p. 5-8-9-12-17-19); digitalvision (cover, p. 1-13);FreeFoto.com (cover, p. 4-14-15); www.ecliptic.ch (cover).

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

Printed in Belgium

RIVER INFORMATION SERVICES

Transport’s main potential barriers forsustainable socio-economic development in theEuropean Union (EU) are traffic congestion,environmental impacts, and economic costs.The EU Transport White Paper “Transport Policyfor 2010: time to decide” proposed importantmeasures to tackle these challenges, includingdeveloping inland waterway and inter-modaltransport. The White Paper proposed shiftingcargo from the heavily loaded road networkonto the waterways. Through this proposal, bybalancing the modal shares of transportsystems, the existing infrastructure capacity canbe fully used to accommodate future economicgrowth in the EU.

Inland waterway transport is seen as a reliable,economical, and environmentally-friendly modeof transport; it is recognised by the EU as a keymeans of transport in the European inter-modaltransport system. The Commission aims tocreate favourable conditions for the furtherdevelopment of the sector and to encouragebusiness to expand the use of this means oftransport. Its future development requires the

introduction of modern concepts, technologiesand solutions, so as to adapt to new marketneeds and to inter-modal integration, thusproviding an accessible, safe, andenvironmentally-friendly alternative to thecongested road network.

Information and communication technologiesprovide an opportunity to transfer not onlytraditional bulk transport but also other goods,containers and even high priced just in timetransport onto the inland waterway transportsector. This offers an intelligent, safe, andefficient method of transport with theinformation links to the rail, road, and short-seasystems. The advanced information andcommunication technologies applied on inlandwaterways will provide inland shipping with acompetitive edge over other means oftransport, together with an effective means ofintegration into logistic chains. In 1998, basedon the results from several research projectsand various applications, the EU officiallydefined the concept of River InformationServices (RIS).

1

FOREWORD

Presenting the case for RIS

RIS is important for the entire European inlandwaterway sector. Through RIS, waterways canconnect to the latest logistic developments,which offer reliable and predictable logisticsupply chains. The further development ofinland navigation, through the implementationof RIS, is of special interest to the inlandwaterway corridors. The recent enlargement ofthe EU, embracing Central and EasternEuropean countries, brings about a massiveincrease in freight transport demands. It istherefore necessary to modernise inlandnavigation and to make inland waterwaytransport more attractive, in competition andcooperation with road transport.

The expected “Harmonised River InformationServices (RIS) on Inland Waterways in the

RIS is defined as a concept of harmonised information services to support traffic and

transport management in inland navigation, including interfaces to other modes of

transport.

This brochure describes:

1. the policy background to the future RIS Directive;

2. the RIS information technologies and communication standards;

3. best-practice examples of RIS development;

4. the strategic and operational benefits of RIS research;

5. the contributions of RIS research activities to European transport policy development;

6-7. the way forward for implementing that policy.

Finally, references and a list of abbreviations and acronyms are also provided.

1. The Decision No. 1692/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on Community guidelines for the development of the Trans-European Network(TEN) passed on 23 July 1996.

Community” Directive will be an importantpolicy document for establishing pan-EuropeanRIS. It will be a consequence of EU transportpolicy development and will help create theinfrastructure of the trans-European transportnetwork (TEN-T), required by the EuropeanParliament and the Council1.

Behind the policy statements, Europeanresearch, especially within the FrameworkResearch Programmes, has contributedsignificantly to the development anddeployment of new RIS technologies. Theseresearch, demonstration and implementationactivities have contributed at the levels oftechnology, organisation and policy, and havehelped to clear the obstacles to effectiverealisation of RIS.

RIVER INFORMATION SERVICES

Europe has over 30,000 km of canals and riversthat link together hundreds of key industrialtowns and areas. The core network of around10,000 km connects The Netherlands, Belgium,Luxembourg, France, Germany, Austria, Slovakiaand Hungary within the EU, with Switzerland,Poland, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro,Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine outsideof the Union. Although the backbone of thisnetwork is constituted by major rivers such asthe Rhine and the Danube, many tributaries andcanals connect a variety of smaller towns andindustrial centres. A considerable number ofports along the network provide access to andlinks with other modes of transport.

Despite this network, inland waterways stillhave a huge capacity that is not fully exploited.Freight transport by inland waterways accountsfor 6% of the total land transport (surfacetransport) of the EU-25 countries in 2002, nineof which have inland waterway transport ofsome importance, equal to 129 billion tonne-kilometres in 2002, whereas road and rail carry72% and 16% respectively. Within the EU-15countries (i.e. mainly in the Rhine corridor), theshare of inland waterway transport in totalsurface transport has declined steadily from12% in 1970 to 7% in 2000, although its trafficvolume has increased in that period of 30 yearsfrom 102 billion to 125 billion tonne-kilometres(+18%). In the new Member States, a total of 7.2billion tonne-kilometres were transported in2000, in particular on the Danube.

Europe looks ahead

The European Commission recognises the greatpotential of inland navigation as an alternativetransport mode for freight transport. Facingtremendous capacity and environmentalproblems in the land transport modes, in

particular road transport, the Europeantransport policy consequently has a greatinterest in developing inland waterwaytransport to become a real alternative whilstkeeping the environmental burden to aminimum.

In its White Paper "European Transport Policy for2010: time to decide",2 the EuropeanCommission proposes to link inland waterwaysinto rail and short sea transport systems,providing an accessible, economical, safe andenvironmentally-friendly alternative to thecongested road network.

The White Paper prescribes “the installing ofhighly efficient navigational aid andcommunication systems on the inlandwaterway network” to make this mode oftransport still more reliable, efficient andaccessible. Likewise, the Declaration ofEuropean Ministers of Transport signed inRotterdam in September 2001 called uponMember and Accession States to implementpan-European RIS by the year 2005.The European Parliament resolution followingthe White Paper considered the creation ofhigh-performance, geographically-comprehensive information systems on inlandwaterways to be extremely important in thisconnection and called on the Commission tosubmit a proposal for harmonised technicalprovisions towards the implementation of RiverInformation Services (RIS). In the session of theTransport Council of 9th October 2003, TheNetherlands, supported by other MemberStates, welcomed the Commission’s initiative toput forward a proposal for a Directive on RiverInformation Services. Meanwhile, this hasresulted in a RIS Directive, which will create aEuropean-wide harmonised framework for RiverTraffic Information Services in order to ensurecompatibility and interoperability between

2 3

1POLICY BACKGROUND

2. White Paper European transport policy for 2010: time to decide, European Communities 2001

current and new RIS systems and to achieveeffective interaction between differentinformation services on inland waterways ofinternational importance. The Directive hasalready obtained the political accord of theCouncil in Autumn 2004 and will probably bepassed on its first reading in the EuropeanParliament in Spring 2005.

Harmony across Europe

The European Parliament and the CouncilDecision3 on Community guidelines for thedevelopment of the trans-European transportnetwork states that the inland waterwaynetwork and inland ports shall include the‘traffic management infrastructure’. According tothe Decision, signalling, guidance andcommunication systems for inland waterwayvessels shall be deemed as projects of commoninterest and thus be eligible for TEN funding(Trans European Network). In this framework, afeasibility study for implementing RIS on theDanube in Austria was co-funded in 2001.

The proposal for an amendment4 by theEuropean Parliament and the Council stipulatesas priority in Article 5 (f ) the “deployment ofinteroperable intelligent transport systems tooptimise the capacity of existing infrastructureand improve safety”.

In its report of 27 June 2003, the High LevelGroup on the trans-European transport network(TEN-T) welcomed the Commission’s intentionto propose a framework directive to ensure theinteroperability of the communication systemson inland waterways and identified thedevelopment of RIS as a priority.

The development of RIS is also recognised andfostered by the River Commissions (CCNRCentral Commission for Navigation on theRhine, DC Danube Commission) and by theInternational Association for Navigation(PIANC). A number of important organisationaland standardisation prerequisites have beendeveloped. In 2002 PIANC compiled RISGuidelines on the basis of the results ofdifferent European research and developmentprojects. These RIS Guidelines 2002 wereformally adopted by the Central Commission forthe Navigation on the Rhine in May 2003 andthe revised version 2004 of the PIANCGuidelines was adopted by CCNR in 2004.

The harmonised development of RIS has notonly been fostered by European initiatives suchas the TEN-T programmes, but also through theformulation of common RIS Guidelines, whichhave been adopted and updated by the CentralCommission for Navigation on the Rhine.

3. The Decision No. 1692/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on Community guidelines for the development of the Trans-European Network(TEN) passed on 23 July 1996.

4. Amendments on this Decision on 31 May 2001 further strengthening the environmental and intermodal aspects on trans-European transport (COM (2001) 544 final)

The European Commission recognises the

great potential of inland navigation as an

alternative transport mode for freight

transport. River Information Services are an

important system component in order to

exploit this potential. The publication of the

White Paper on Transport and the future

adoption of the RIS Directive reflects the

strong political support for a European-wide

and harmonised implementation of River

Information Services.

RIVER INFORMATION SERVICES

What is RIS?

RIS does not deal principally with internalcommercial activities between companies, but isavailable for interfacing with commercialprocesses.

RIS streamlines information exchange betweenpublic and private parties participating in inlandwaterborne transport.The information is shared onthe basis of information and communicationstandards.The information is used in differentapplications and systems for enhanced traffic ortransport processes.

The need for RIS

Modern logistics management requires extensiveinformation exchange betweenpartners in supply chains.

Implementation of communications andinformation technologies in organisational andoperational processes is a crucial prerequisite toincrease operational efficiency and safety intoday’s market.

RIS facilitates the inland waterway transportorganisation and management.Through effectiveinformation exchange, transport operations (suchas trip schedules and terminal/lock operationplans) could easily be optimised, providingadvantages for inland navigation and enabling itto be integrated into the intermodal logisticchains.

How does RIS work?

RIS is built on modern information technology andtelecommunication infrastructure.The key RIS-

related technological innovationsintroduced in the inland

waterway sectorduring the last

decade are:

4 5

2RIS EXPLAINED

© via-donau 2005, based on PIANC RIS Guidelines 2004

• Inland Electronic Navigational Charts (IENC) andInland Electronic Chart Display InformationSystem (Inland ECDIS) for visualisation of fairwayand ship position information.

• The European standard Inland ECDIS is based onmaritime ECDIS. IENCs are already available forlarge parts of the European inland waterwaynetwork.

• Internet applications for Notices to Skippers in 11languages and machine readable format.

• Electronic ship reporting systems for informationcollection and distribution on voyage-relateddata (ship and cargo).

• Vessel tracking and tracing technologies such asAutomatic Identification System (AIS) forautomatic reporting of the position of ships andother safety relevant data.

• Radar systems with ENC underlay for navigationand traffic monitoring.

• Route and voyage planning applications.• Applications for optimising fuel consumption.

Lending support to services

These new information technologies support(according to the RIS-Guidelines 2004):

Fairway Information Service (FIS)

FIS contains geographical, hydrological andadministrative data that are used by skippers andfleet managers to plan, execute and monitor ajourney. FIS provides dynamic information as wellas static information about the use and status ofthe inland waterway infrastructure, and therebysupports tactical and strategic navigation decision-making. FIS contains data on the waterwayinfrastructure only – excluding data on vesselmovements – and therefore consists of one-wayinformation from shore to ship/office.Traditionallythese services are provided through nautical papercharts and one or more of the following services innational formats and in the national language:Notices to Skippers,TV and radio broadcasts,internet,VHF nautical information radio, e-mailsubscription services and fixed telephonessituated on locks. RIS will provide standardisedelectronic charts and standardised Notices to

Skippers in a machine readable format and ineleven languages.

Traffic Information Service (TI)

• The information provided in a Tactical TrafficImage (TTI) supports the ship’s master in theimmediate navigation decisions in the actualtraffic situation.The TTI allows skippers also tomake navigational arrangements with othervessels.The TTI contains information on theposition of vessels, speed, heading and specificvessel information of all targets identified byradar and – if available – AIS or compatibleautomatic vessel tracking and tracing systems.The TTI is displayed on a standardised electronicchart; the Inland ECDIS.

• The Strategic Traffic Image (STI) on the other handprovides a general overview of the trafficsituation over a relatively large area.The STI isused mainly for planning and monitoring.The STIwill provide the user with information aboutintended voyages of vessels, (dangerous) cargoand Requested Times of Arrival (RTA) at definedpoints (e.g. locks, terminals).

Traffic Management (TM)

TM is carried out by waterway administrationsaiming at optimal utilisation of the infrastructuresand assurance of safe navigation by:• Local Traffic Management:Vessel Traffic Service

(VTS), whose centres are currently installed atsome critical points along the Europeanwaterway network, are implemented by aCompetent Authority to improve the safety andefficiency of vessel traffic, and to protect theenvironment.The service has the capability tointeract with the vessel traffic and to respond totraffic situations developing in the VTS area.Theinformation required by VTS centres is basicallygathered by means of permanent shore-basedradar stations. AIS could, in the future, provideadditional information, such as the vessel'sidentity and main dimensions.

• Navigational Support:Vessel tracking technology,such as AIS, provides individual skippers with theinformation needed to take navigationaldecisions.

RIVER INFORMATION SERVICES

• Lock and Bridge Management (LBM): RIS facilitatesthe planning of lock and bridge operations. RISsupports lock/bridge operators in their medium-term decisions by providing a strategic trafficimage. RIS thereby assists the operators in thecalculation of ETAs/ RTAs (Estimated/ RequestedTime of Arrival) of vessels. By means of optimalplanning of locking operations, the smoothpassage of vessels through the locks and bridges,which are considered as inland waterways’bottlenecks, can be realised. Lock planning canreduce waiting times significantly. In turn, lockoperators can inform the individual skipper of hisRTA, enabling him to adapt his speed andpossibly save on fuel.

Calamity Abatement service (CA)

CA registers vessels and their transport data at thebeginning of a journey and updates the dataduring the voyage. In the event of an accident, theauthorities are capable of providing dataimmediately to the rescue and emergency teams.The electronic charts and the traffic image providethe basis for the coordination of rescue forces andnautical measures.

Information for Transport Logistics

• Voyage Planning (VP):VP includes the planning ofthe optimal route, the draught and the ETA of thevessel. Skippers and fleet managers need fairwayinformation for these planning activities.

• Transport Management (TM):TM means themanagement of the transport chain beyond thescope of the navigation, and is driven by freightbrokers and transport service quality managers. Itis aimed at improving the overall performance ofthe contracted fleet and terminals , at controllingthe progress of the contracted transports, atmonitoring unexpected threats to the reliabilityof these transports, and at finalising the transport(delivery and invoice).

• Intermodal Port and Terminal Management (PTM):Terminal and port operators need ETA informationin order to plan resources for terminal operations.ETA information of approaching vessels supportsthe overall terminal utilisation and allows smoothpassage of vessels through the terminal facilities.

As a result, the trans-shipment time can bereduced. In situations when there is insufficientterminal capacity, the terminal operator caninform the individual skipper of his RTA. Better slotmanagement is possible as a result of theexchange of ETA and RTA data.

• Cargo and Fleet Management (CFM): CFM is basedon information on the loaded and the availableempty vessels; the fleet including the actualvessel positions and their RTAs and ETAs; detailedinformation on the cargo transported and thecargo to be shipped and information on theterminals.

Information for Law-enforcement (ILE)

Law enforcement ensures that people within agiven jurisdiction adhere to the laws of thatjurisdiction. RIS supports law enforcement ininland navigation in the fields of cross-bordermanagement (e.g. the movement of peoplecontrolled by the immigration service, customs),compliance with the requirements for traffic safety,and compliance with the environmentalrequirements. It will also reduce waiting times atborders.

Statistics (ST)

RIS can be used to collect relevant inlandwaterway freight statistics. Since data alreadycollected for other services can be used, thenskippers, terminal and lock operators no longerneed to provide special statistics. Electronic datacollection will facilitate the process for dataproviders and statistical offices.The statistics are ofinterest to the waterway authorities, internationalorganisations and companies engaged in inlandnavigation for strategic planning and monitoring.

Waterway Charges and Harbour Dues(CHD)

RIS can assist in levying charges for the use ofinfrastructure tolls.The travel data of the ship canbe used to automatically calculate the charge andinitiate invoicing, thus facilitating the process forwaterway users and authorities.

6 7

Applications at work across Europe

The developments of national stand-alonetelematics services, which vary in functions,standards, and architectures, broughtchallenges to the current service regime. Someof the existing applications are:

• ARGO (Advanced River Navigation), a Germannavigation system for inland waterwayskippers. It provides data on the fairwayconditions and actual water levels in real time.

• BICS (Barge Information and CommunicationSystem) is a voyage and cargo (especiallydangerous cargo) reporting system used inThe Netherlands, Germany and othercountries. The main aim of BICS is to supportthe reporting duties of the skipper/fleetoperator towards the authorities.

• BIVAS (Inland Navigation Intelligent Demandand Supply System) is an internet-basedinteractive freight transport virtualmarketplace.

• DoRIS (Donau River Information Services) is anAustrian system that can automatically

generate traffic information by means of AIStransponders.The tactical traffic image iscurrently being tested for use by waterwayauthorities and skippers. In 2005 the roll-out ofthe DoRIS systems will be performed on theAustrian section of the Danube.

• ELWIS, a German Electronic WaterwayInformation System, which provides a series of(fairway) information services.

• IBIS (Informatisering Binnenscheepvaart), aFlanders centralised database system, allowsadministrations to deliver navigation licences,locate ships within their territory and collectdata on inland navigation.

• GINA (Gestion Informatisée de la Navigation), areporting application for Wallonia dedicated tothe invoicing of navigation fees and thegeneration of statistics.

IVS90, a ship reporting system used by Dutchwaterway authorities supporting lock planning,vessel traffic services, calamity abatement andstatistics.

• NIF (Nautischer Informations-Funk), a Germanservice to transmit messages related to waterlevels, high-water notifications, water levelpredictions, ice and mist messages, and policemessages.

• VNF2000, a French information network usedto invoice navigation tolls and to producetraffic statistics.

These differing operational practices andfacilities in Member States reflect the currentincompatibility of information systems,standards, and installations. Legislative andtechnical support for harmonised informationservices at a pan-European level become moreand more necessary to guarantee the efficiencyand safety for cross-border navigation andlogistics. This was one of the principalmotivating factors in the development of RIS.

Tactical Traffic Image: this enables DoRIS to give the user a precise overview of the current traffic

situation. Data such as the ship's name and type, dimension of the convoy, depth, position, speed

and so on is registered with DoRIS electronically and is automatically processed. Ships are

displayed on the digital map as symbols. The relevant data can be viewed by clicking on the icon.

RIVER INFORMATION SERVICES

European research, particularly through EUresearch programmes, has played a veryimportant role in the development of RIS.

RIS at source

In 1994 the research project COST 326, an ECco-funded international cooperation scientificresearch project started to analyse maritimeECDIS at international and European level. Byinvestigating European ECDIS userrequirements, and the feasibility of linkingnational databases to European (orinternational) networks, the constraints on datasupply, and on the production and updating ofENCs were identified. Due to differentstandards, communications, andadministrations, the implementation of ECDISon harbour approach systems and VTS met with

interoperability difficulties. COST 326 called forinstitutional support at EU level by proposing astrategic measure: the establishment andoperation of a single European RegionalElectronic Navigational Chart CoordinatingCentre (RENC).

Developing RIS

The RIS concept was further developed in anumber of research projects, which achievedtechnological solutions in:

RIS system architecture

A common system architecture is thefundamental requirement for harmonisedinformation services. Many research projects

8 9

3RESEARCHING AND DEVELOPING RIS

were devoted to the construction of a full-function and open-system architecture. TheINVITE project, was established to study pan-European open system architecture ofcommunications, with the participation ofCentral and Eastern European Countries.INCARNATION designed a full VTS systemarchitecture after studying policy requirementson safety, capacity, environment protection,calamity abatements and differentmanagement options regarding inlandwaterways. COMSINE I established an opencommunications architecture with MARSAT(marine satellite) communications services asthe backbone infrastructure. RINAC defined thefunctional architecture that manages theinformation flows aboard a vessel and providesthe skipper with the appropriate applications tooperate in a RIS environment. The results of theresearch activities helped to define the generalRIS elements, which evolved rapidly with theemergence of new information products andwhich led to the formulation of the RIStechnical guidelines that are the key technicaldocuments for planning and designing RIS.

Communications and Dataexchanges

Standardised communications protocols areessential elements of RIS. Due to the existenceof different communications means (VHF,mobile phone, internet, SMS, etc.), differentoperational systems (VTS, VTMS, etc.), anddifferent intervening parties (VTS operators,skippers, administrations, commercial users,etc.), advanced communications methods andprocesses were needed to integrate all ofthese elements together in a functionalsystem. The COMFORTABLE project developednew tools, which included the traffic situationdisplay, risk evaluation, and short-term trafficprediction, for VTS to help operators recogniseand assess traffic situations so as to enhanceoperational safety. MOVIT achieved acomplete mobile version of VTMS (vesseltraffic management system). VTMS-NET

created pan-European integration methods tolink the services, which had already been usedindependently at the local, national, or EUlevel, for information exchanges within theVTS and VTMS. A new generation of VTMS hasbeen developed with strong capacity formonitoring traffic, predicting nauticalconditions, and exchanging data as well asimages in real-time.

ECDIS and VTS

Geo-related information is transferred with theaid of Inland ECDIS in the form of TTI and STIfrequently used by VTS and FIS. Inland ECDIShas become a basic technology in modern RIS.After COST 326 ECDIS was improved continuallyin subsequent research projects. On the basis ofthe research, an Inland ECDIS standard wassuggested in the INDRIS research project andlater accepted by the international institutions(UN/ECE, CCNR, DC). COMPRIS further enhancedthe RIS standards on Inland ECDIS, reportingand VTM data exchange for commonacceptance.

RIS matures

The RIS initiative became mature after researchin INDRIS. The concepts, functions and scale ofRIS were officially defined in this researchproject. Through a joint-venture of nationalpublic authorities, the transport industry, theICT-industry and research institutes, INDRISdeveloped a methodology and guidelines toharmonise communications and reportingprocedures on the European inland waterwaysnetwork. Through subsequent demonstrationsthe technical feasibility of RIS was proven for(1) the provision of shore-based or shore-madetraffic images on-board inland vessels; (2) theprovision of tactical traffic images withoutshore-based infrastructure within the VHFrange of the vessels; (3) the use of STIsupported by databases using ship-basedelectronic reporting procedures for VTM; (4) the

RIVER INFORMATION SERVICES

application of Inland ECDIS technology asplatform upon which safety systems are built;(5) the support of FIS to users in planning theirvoyages.

Enhanced RIS

Adoption of new information andcommunication (NIC) technologies enhancedthe original initiatives and concepts, providingupdated functions and operations. The recentRIS developments focus on:

Vessel tracking and tracing technologies

These are a very important means to obtainreal-time static and dynamic vessel data, whichthen can be communicated between shorestations, ships and users. Inland AIS is currentlydeveloped to a sophisticated level that can beapplied practically and can be connected tomaritime AIS. This development is of highestimportance for vessels navigating in mixedtraffic areas but also suitable for all other inlandwaterways. The application of dGPS (differentialGlobal Positioning System) was tested indifferent research projects, such as ALSODANUBE, DoRIS, D4D.

Cross-border data exchanges

The crossing of borders is a crucial part in thewhole inland waterway transportationprocess. As information is accompanying thevessel on its whole journey, RIS should not belimited by national borders with theirtraditional barriers for the information flowbetween authorities. Therefore suitableframework conditions for the internationalexchange of RIS related information are to beestablished. The INTERREG project D4D (DataWarehouse for the Danube Waterway) set afirst milestone in the exchange of waterwayrelated data between the responsibleauthorities. In the COMPRIS project another

aspect of cross-border data exchange wasinvestigated: the electronic reporting ofvoyage and cargo related information toauthorities like customs, immigration andstatistics. The provision of information acrossborders thus facilitates procedures likeborder controls or vessel dispatching andmakes them more efficient. Provided thatlegislative issues in cross-border dataexchange are solved, RIS will bring benefitsfor governmental users as well as forcommercial users.

RIS comes of age

In the path from concept to implementation,COMPRIS research configured the laststepping stone towards implementationacross Europe. COMPRIS deals with pan-European standardisation and harmonisationof RIS by linking existing and future initiativesin the participating European countries (TheNetherlands, Belgium, France, Sweden,Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania,Bulgaria, Ukraine). To enhance the existingconcept of RIS and to make it feasiblethroughout Europe, COMPRIS developed atechnical, organisational and functionalarchitecture for RIS on a pan-European level.To be implemented directly in all participatingcountries, ship-based, shore-based, traffic-oriented, and transport-oriented systems andapplications were designed and tested. On thebasis of previous development COMPRISfurther enhanced RIS standards on InlandECDIS, Electronic Reporting, VTM dataexchange, and tracking and tracing. Anenvironment in which RIS applications andsystems can be tested was designed anddeveloped, and international procedures forseamless border crossings were improved.Additionally the project prepared the steps forimplementing RIS on Europe’s most importantwaterways.

10 11

Standardising RIS

The findings of the EU research provided aknowledge base for the establishment of RIS-related standards. A number of importantorganisational prerequisites and standards havebeen developed in the research projects. Manystandards have been established in cooperationwith international institutes.A standard concerning an Electronic ChartDisplay and Information System for InlandNavigation (Inland ECDIS) was drafted by anExpert Group in the context of INDRIS and wasformally adopted in 2001 by the Central RhineCommission and the Danube Commission.

In 2002 the UN/ECE Working party on InlandWaterway Transport adopted aRecommendation5 on Inland ECDIS, which hasconsidered the establishment of common

principles and technical requirements for pan-European RIS.

In 2002 PIANC compiled RIS Guidelines on thebasis of the results of different Europeanresearch and development projects. These RISGuidelines 2002 were formally adopted by theCentral Commission for the Navigation on theRhine in May 2003 and the RIS Guidelines 2004in 2004.

Technical studies in the European researchprojects provided rich data and technologies tosupport the formulation of new RIS standardsand guidelines. These include:

• ‘Standard for Electronic Ship Reporting inInland Navigation’ established by theElectronic Reporting International WorkingGroup (ERI).

• ‘International Standard for Notices to Skippers’established by the Notices to Skippers ExpertGroup.

• The Inland ECDIS standard established by theInland ECDIS Expert Group.

• The Inland AIS Standard, which wasestablished by the Expert Group for Trackingand Tracing and which is currently underinvestigation by the CCNR.

European research is contributing to new technical standards and guidelines, taking into

account the rapid technology development, and the interfaces with other transport modes

and applications. The future standards will focus on the technologies of Vessel Tracking and

Tracing, and Cross Border Data Exchange.

RIS ready wheelhouse with information and

communication systems

5. Resolution N° 48, a Recommendation on Electronic Chart Display and Information System for Inland Navigation (Inland ECDIS)

RIVER INFORMATION SERVICES

RIS facilitates the organisation of inland waterwaytransport, and increases its operational efficiencyand safety.The improvements in the operationaland organisational aspects of inland waterwaytransport are:

• improved information to provide reliabletime schedules for trips;

• improved interfaces to connect with othertransport modes;

• improved information to plan terminal/lockresources and operations;

• real-time monitoring of fairway and fleetconditions to guarantee safety and security;

• up-to-date overview of the traffic situationfor timely control of manoeuvres;

• automation of cross-border operations tofacilitate international trade;

• effective dangerous goods monitoring fortransport safety;

• automation of statistical data collection forstrategic monitoring and planning.

Consequently, RIS, via these operationalimprovements, produces strategic benefits forthe inland waterway transport sector andimproves the efficiency of the current transportsystem.

Increasing competitiveness

RIS permits the establishment of competitiveinland waterway transport services. It providesup-to-date information that can be used to planvoyages and calculate more reliable timeschedules. Based on the current and expectedpositioning data of the various vessels that areunder way in the network, lock/bridge/terminaloperators can calculate and communicate theRequired Times of Arrival to individual skippers.While approaching the lock/terminal the skippercan decide to adjust cruising speed (more

homogeneous travel speeds), which in the endresults in a reduction of waiting times at locks andterminals and minimisation of fuel consumptionand therefore environmental impacts.

In this sense, RIS complies with the informationneeds of modern supply chain management,since it allows optimised use and monitoring ofresources and possibilities for flexible reactions incase of any deviation from the original planning.

RIS enables information interfaces with all supplychain members as well as with other transportmodes. These interfaces, which eliminate breaksin the information chain, allow the integration ofinland navigation into inter-modal supply chains.

RIS enables real-time monitoring of the inlandnavigation fleet and the changing fairwayconditions en route. This improves fleetmanagement (optimised deployment ofpersonnel and fleet based on up-to-dateinformation), and allows more detailed tripplanning and draught management based onup-to-date information on fairway conditions.Real-time information can be used to load shipsaccording to the current navigational conditions.

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4THE BENEFITS OF RESEARCH

Optimised use of public infrastructure and funds

Terminal and lock operators are capable ofproducing better planning of terminal resourcesthrough receipt of ETA and additionalinformation (e.g. stowage plans, vesseldimensions) of approaching vessels. These pre-announcement data allow a proactive approachtowards terminal or lock scheduling: before thevessel enters the port or lock, the operator canprepare and schedule the handling activities.For skippers this reduces waiting times andoptimises the chain of processes for the entirevoyage. Public infrastructure benefits throughbetter utilisation rates.

Additionally, RIS enables the automatedcollection of statistical and customs data.

Traditionally paper-based, which is time-consuming and prone to data errors. RIS makesthe automatic collection of required datapossible in an efficient way, which ultimatelyresults in lower public expenditure and lessworkload for the skipper. RIS makes transportmore reliable.

Safer transport

With the introduction of RIS, skippers have up-to-date and complete overviews of trafficsituations. Skippers can then make well-informed navigational decisions, consequentlyleading to fewer incidents and injuries/fatalities.Traditionally, ship masters had, for instance, torely on information shown on the radar andverbal information provided by VTS centres andother vessels to take navigational decisions. RIShas dramatically improved this picture: skippersuse electronic charts, which are necessarily up-to-date, receive precise positioning data onapproaching vessels, and are informed aboutcurrent fairway and weather conditionselectronically, which helps to prevent accidents.Moreover, RIS enables detailed monitoring ofdangerous goods transports, which helps toimprove calamity abatement after shippingaccidents. These and other data allow safenavigation. Additionally, automated, and moreefficient customs procedures and securitychecks – supported by RIS – also contribute toincreased safety and security in inlandnavigation.

RIS contributes to the transparency of freight transport. Transparency is a prerequisite for

enhanced security of transport operations. It requires a continuous information flow which

advances or accompanies the material process. By using harmonised interfaces, RIS supports the

generation of comprehensive and transparent information, and the smooth exchange of data

between relevant partners in a transport chain.

RIVER INFORMATION SERVICES

potential environmental calamities. Since dataon all traffic movements can be stored in adatabase, reconstruction of incidents can behelpful in the analysis of causes of the accident.

Who stands to gain?

Clearly, the direct beneficiaries of implementingRIS are the inland waterway transport sectorand its users. However, the strategic benefits ofimproved transport safety, efficiency, andenvironment protection are of value to theEuropean Community and its citizens.

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Environmental protection

RIS leads to a reduction of fuel consumption asa consequence of better voyage planning andmore reliable time scheduling. In addition, RIScontributes to a modal shift of cargo from roadto waterway, leading to a reduction of exhaustssuch as CO2 and NOx and also of noise. RIStherefore supports the reduction of emissionscaused by transport activities in a direct andindirect way.

Finally, RIS provides the possibility to monitorthe transport of dangerous goods. This allowstimely responses in the event of accidents and

Even though at present there is no study available for quantifying the global benefits of the

RIS implementations all over Europe, an assessment on a RIS demonstrator (a stretch on the

Dutch part of the Rhine) was carried out within the INDRIS project. The results of the

assessment indicated that the rates of the benefits against the costs reaches 3.5 for the

skippers, 1.0 for the waterway authority, and 5.0 for the society as whole. They affirmed the

society benefits of RIS implementations.

Public awareness is an important factor to thesuccess of implementing RIS throughout theEuropean waterway network. Gaining supportfrom regional governments, Member States,non-governmental organisations, the privatesector, and the EU requires a series ofcampaigns to demonstrate the benefits of thenew technologies and hence accelerate theiracceptance.

The research activities of the EU frameworkprogrammes made full use of their limitedfinancial resources to:• Open channels to exchange experiences,

communicate opinions, and transfertechnologies so as to promote harmonisedinformation services.

• Bridge the gaps between academics,researchers, and users to unify the support forRIS development.

• Link with international organisations, such asPIANC, CCNR, and DC, to enhance technicaland administrative cooperation.

Two landmarks of European cooperation andnetworking in RIS development were:

The Rotterdam Declaration In September 2001, a declaration of EuropeanMinisters of Transport was signed in Rotterdamduring the Pan-European Conference on InlandWaterway Transport.This declaration stated thaton the basis of recommendations of the EuropeanCommission, Member States and AccessionCountries are encouraged to implement pan-European RIS by 2005. Several activities have sincebeen undertaken to stimulate the implementationof RIS on a European scale.

The European RIS PlatformThe RIS Platform was set up for participation byall European (EU and non-EU) nationalauthorities actively involved in the

development and implementation of RIS withinthe interlinked Rhine-Danube inland waterwaynetwork. The Platform involves representativesof competent authorities and is open forparticipation by CCNR Danube Commission andnational authorities responsible for RIS on otherinland waterways.

The platform’s objectives are to extend mutualknowledge on RIS by exchanging the availableknowledge, experiences and expertise on RIS. Italso aims to foster RIS harmonisation bydeveloping an overview of all RIS-relevantactivities and by giving guidance and advice onthe further development of RIS in research anddevelopment, standardisation, andimplementation.

The platform has relationships with otherbodies involved in the development of RIS, suchas the platform of European WaterwayAuthorities, the European Commission, CCNR,Danube Commission, PIANC, IALA and theEuropean thematic network consortia.

Building bridges

Building on the results of previous researchcarried out in the fields of VTMIS and RIS,WATERMAN-TS offers a platform for reaching acommon understanding of the concepts ofVTMIS and RIS. Its objective is to identify theprerequisites that should be met for the actualimplementation of such services. Its activitiesbring together representatives of the end usersof multimodal transport services to analyse themajor results coming from the researchprojects. It facilitates the wider dissemination offacts, ideas, results, and actions to Europeanaudiences.Another project concentrates on technicalharmonisation and cooperation across modes.

5EUROPEAN POLICY DEVELOPMENTS

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For example, THEMIS-TS focused oncoordinating research and development inEuropean multimodal transport informationsystems, and provided a forum for disseminatingthe results among members. Aiming at theintegration of IT technologies that contribute toa sustainable European freight transport system,THEMIS-TS defined the position of FreightTransport within the future European ITS andsuggested the best way of organising theFreight ITS components (or modules), which arecomposed of EATMS (European Air TrafficManagement Systems), ERTMS (European RailTraffic Management Systems), RTM (Road TrafficManagement), VTMIS, and e-commerce/standardisation, to achieve the most effectivebenefits to users and society.

To enhance the social and political conversationsbetween Member States, EC, industries, researchand European organisation, SPIN-TN focused onthe promotion of common European strategiesand actions. This thematic network targetedboth key industrial stakeholders and policymakers to achieve the objectives of sustainabletransport and mobility. In a series of so-called RISRoadshows across Europe, the SPIN networkincluded an information exchange anddiscussion platform to inform key stakeholdersfrom the public and private sector about thecurrent status and opportunities created by theimplementation of RIS.

Helping shape policy and strategy

In addition to the technological developments,European research is involved in thedevelopment of transport policy and strategy,offering policy recommendations for RISdevelopment. After analysis of RIS technologiesand their benefits, PINE, a study in 2004,prepared an overview of the current status ofRIS and its relevant systems, and recommendedfurther developments which were considered inthe preparation of the RIS Directive.

Policy in the making

The future Directive on “Harmonised RiverInformation Services (RIS) on Inland Waterways inthe Community” will be the first legislativeinstrument for RIS. It requires the establishment ofRIS on the waterways in Member States based onthe RIS technical guidelines. Within the context ofthe White Paper “Transport policy for 2010: time todecide”, the proposal for the new RIS directive wasput forward to realise the policy objectives for thedevelopment of waterway and inter-modaltransport. The new directive is in line with theEuropean Parliament’s Decision6 concerning thedeployment of interoperable intelligent transportsystems to optimise the capacity and safety ofexisting infrastructure.

6. Decision N° 1692/96/EC

The fast development of River InformationServices in the last decade showed that theinland waterway system has made maximumuse of the opportunities offered by newcommunication technologies such as mobilecommunication, web-based applications, andsatellite communication. Through RIS, the inlandwaterway sector will be able to make aquantum leap forward: inland navigation islinking up with modern logistics management,navigation has become even more efficient.The young history of RIS has convincinglyshowed that RIS is no longer just a theoreticaland promising concept. On the contrary, RISapplications are ready for implementation andbring immediate benefits in real-life operations.

Harmonisation and coordination are a corerequirement for the further implementation ofRIS at the pan-European level. Only through thecreation of compatible systems, will the inlandwaterway sector – and subsequently society asa whole – be capable of reaping the fullbenefits of RIS. Technical harmonisation of RIS ispursued within the various researchprogrammes and not least by the RIS Directiveand its technical annexes.

Another major issue will be to enhanceawareness and acceptance of River InformationServices among a broad range of potentialusers. Such acceptance is needed to createeconomies of scale and a critical mass. Everynew user will lead to lower average systemcosts and more synergies between variousapplications and services. Therefore, effortsneed to be made in order to raise awareness onthe opportunities of RIS.

A main policy instrument to promoteharmonisation and acceptance is formed by theMasterplan for Implementation of RIS inEurope (IRIS), which will provide a frameworkfor the coordinated implementation of RIS in

Europe. The Masterplan IRIS is a study – co-funded within the TEN-T programme – whichwill work out proposals for financial measuresand work plans to support the realisation of RISin different European countries. The results ofthe Masterplan IRIS will then need to befollowed up by a full-scale infrastructure projectwithin the TEN-T framework fostering the RISimplementation in Europe.

Effective system management will becomeincreasingly important after RIS enters intooperation. The near future policy and strategydevelopments might be:

• financial: studying the means of financing RISinfrastructure, board equipment and training,and the policy for services usages and charges.

• strategic, looking at areas such as:• inter-modal transport• data collection and application• training and education• RIS technology updates• organisation and coordination.

• legislative: proposing the legislative adoptionof charges for data access, data exchange, andutilisation of data for logistic applications,which is not already provided for nauticalpurposes, taking into account privacyregulations.

Simultaneously, during RIS implementation,technologies need to be updated; emergingproblems need to be resolved; and knowledgeneeds to be disseminated. The forthcomingactions are likely to include:

• updated interfaces and links with othertransports modes and users

• deployment of the developed system inShort-Sea Shipping

• user training and education • knowledge and experiences exchanges.

6LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

The RIS concept aims at implementinginformation services to support the planningand management of traffic and transportoperations. Implementing RIS will not onlyimprove traffic safety and environmentalprotection but also will simultaneously enhancethe efficiency and security of transportoperations and increase competitiveness.Although waterway users and administrativeauthorities are considered as the directbeneficiaries from operational improvements,the implementation of RIS will significantlybenefit society by the ways of traffic shifts, safenavigation, decreased pollution, and lowertransport costs.

European research support can be found inevery stage of RIS progress. Starting from theRIS initiatives, the research worked continuallyon the technological developments, systemintegrations and renewals, standardisation,strategic elaborations, and internationalcooperation and networking.

Looking ahead, the proposed RIS Directivepaves the way towards the future framework ofTEN-T for inland waterways; however, the workdoes not end there. RIS development andimplementation require the continuedapplication of research, to update theconcepts/technologies, to explore potentialapplications, and to solve emerging problems.

European research requires publicunderstanding and support for its work. Thepolitical and financial commitments fromRegions, the Member States and the EU aregreatly appreciated, together with their supportfor the future activities of European research, inthe development and implementation of RISthroughout Europe.

At an institutional level, further regulationsneed to be developed to support future RISoperations. These might include: legislativeadoption of data confidentiality; dataaccessibility; data exchanges; and usagecharges. European research, internationalinstitutes, Member States, waterway authorities,regional governments, and the EuropeanCommission will continue their commitment tofuture RIS development and implementations.

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7

Following implementation of RIS over European

waterways, future inland navigation will be more

intelligent, transparent and safer. Inland

navigation in the enlarged Europe will continue to

develop, effectively supported by RIS. Transport by

inland waterways will become an even more user-

friendly and environmentally-friendly mode of

transport that will facilitate modern logistic

integration and inter-modal transport. It will play

a vital role in avoiding the gridlock forecast for

Europe’s road system and in helping build

Europe’s economy in the 21st century.

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CONCLUSIONS

• White Paper “European Policy for 2020: Time to decide”, European Commission

• The Decision No. 1692/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on Community guidelines for thedevelopment of the Trans-European Network (TEN) passed on 23 July 1996. Amendments on this Decision on 31 May 2001 further strengthening the environmental and intermodal aspects on trans-European transport

• “Declaration of Rotterdam”, Pan European Conference on Inland Waterway Transportation, September 2001.

• “Guidelines and Recommendations of River Information Services”, PIANC, 2002

• PINE “Prospects of Inland Navigation within the enlarged Europe”, Feb 2003-Feb 2004, DG TREN project

• INDRIS “Inland Navigation Demonstrator for River Information Services”, Jan 1998- June 2000, 4th FrameworkProgramme research project

• COST 326 “Electronic Chart for Navigation” - European cooperation in the fields of scientific and technical research,1994-1997, http://www.cordis.lu/cost-transport/

• COMPRIS “Consortium Operational Management Platform for River Information Services”, Sept. 2002 – August 2005,5th Framework Programme research project, http://www.euro-compris.org

• DoRIS “Donau River Information Services”, http://www.doris.bmvit.gv.at/

• BICS “Barge Information and Communication System”, http://www.bics.nl

• INCARNATION “Efficient Inland navigation information system”, Jan 1996-Dec 1997, 4th Framework Programme research project

• PINE “Prospects of inland Navigation in Enlarged Europe, SWP1.3 ‘Information and Communication systems’“,Feb 2003-Feb 2004, DG TREN study

• COMSINE I “Communications Infrastructure for Inland Navigation in Europe”, Jan 1995-July 1996, internationalcooperation research project

• COMSINE II “Communications Infrastructure for Inland Navigation in Europe”, April 1997-June 1998, 4th FrameworkProgramme research project

• INVITE “INLAND NAVIGATION TELEMATICS”, Jan 1995-Dec 1996, international cooperation research project

• RINAC project “River Based Information, Communication and Navigation”, Jan 1997 -Dec 1998

• VTMS-NET “Vessel Traffic Management System – Network”, Jan 1998-Dec 1999, 4th Framework Programme researchproject

• PROSIT “Promotion of Short Sea Shipping and Inland Waterway Transport by use of Modern Telematics”,Jan 1998-Dec 1999, 4th Framework Programme research project

• D4D “Data warehouse for the Danube waterway”, May 2001-May 2005, Interreg III B project, http://www.d4d.info

• WATERMAN-TS,“Waterborne Traffic Management and Information Service - Thematic Network”, April 2000-March2003, 5th Framework Programme thematic network, http://www.waterman-ts.net

• SPIN-TN,“Strategies to Promote Inland Navigation”, June 2000-June 2005, 5th Framework Programme thematicnetwork, http://www.spin-network.org

• THEMIS “Thematic Network in the Optimal Management of Intermodal Transportation Service”, April 2000-April 2004,5th Framework Programme thematic network, http://hermes.civil.auth.gr/themis/project.htm

• ALSO DANUBE “Advanced Logistic Solutions for the Danube Waterway” May 2000- May 2003, 5th FrameworkProgramme research project, http://www.alsodanube.at

• COMFORTABLE project,“To COMFORT VTS – Management”, Jan 1996-Dec 1998, 4th Framework Programme researchproject

• MOVIT “A Mobile VTMIS using innovative technology”, May 1997-Oct 1998, 4th Framework Programme research project

• EMBARC “European Maritime study for Baseline and Advanced Regional and Coastal traffic management”,Dec 2001-Nov 2004, 5th Framework Programme research project, http://www.euro-embarc.com/

8REFERENCES

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

Automatic Identification SystemAdvanced River NavigationBarge Information and Communication SystemInland Navigation Intelligent Demand and Supply SystemCalamity Abatement ServiceCentral Commission for Navigation on the RhineCargo and Fleet ManagementWaterway Charges and Harbour Dues Consortium Operational Management Platform River Information ServicesDanube CommissionDirectorate-General for Transport and EnergyDifferential Global Positioning SystemDonau River Information ServicesEuropean Air Traffic Management SystemsEuropean CommissionElectronic Chart Display and Information SystemElectronic Waterway Information SystemElectronic Navigational ChartsEuropean Rail Traffic Management SystemsEstimated Time of ArrivalEuropean UnionFairway Information ServicesGestion Informatisée de la NavigationGeographic Information SystemsGlobal Positioning SystemInternational Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse AuthoritiesInformatisering BinnenscheepvaartInformation and Communication TechnologiesInland Electronic Navigational ChartsInternational Maritime OrganisationInland Navigation Demonstrator for River Information ServicesIntelligent Transport SystemsNew Information and CommunicationsNautischer Informations-FunkInternational Navigation AssociationPort and Terminal ManagementRegional Electronic Navigational Chart Coordinating CentreRiver Information ServicesRequested Time of ArrivalRoad Traffic ManagementShort Messages ServicesStatisticsStrategic Traffic ImagesTrans-European Network – TransportTraffic Information ServiceTraffic Management Tactical Traffic ImagesUnited Nations Economic Commission for EuropeVery High FrequencyVoyage PlanningVessel Traffic ManagementVessel Traffic Management Information SystemVessel Traffic Management SystemVessel Traffic Services

AIS ARGO

BICSBIVAS

CACCNR

CFMCHD

COMPRISDC

DG TRENdGPS

DoRISEATMS

ECECDISELWIS

ENCERTMS

ETAEUFIS

GINAGIS

GPSIALA

IBISICT

IENCIMO

INDRISITS

NICNIF

PIANCPTM

RENCRIS

RTA RTMSMS

STSTI

TEN-TTI

TMTTI

UN/ECEVHF

VPVTM

VTMISVTMS

VTS

The expected “Harmonised River Information Services (RIS) on Inland

Waterways in the Community” Directive will be an important policy

document for establishing pan-European RIS. This booklet describes the

RIS and their developments in Europe. The contributions of research

activities to European transport policies are illustrated by best-practice

examples of RIS development. The values of EU research programmes are

demonstrated through their support in formulating the development of

transport policy, and in assisting the implementation of that policy.