THE DANUBE WATERWAY– Economic Geography

from the presentation series„Basics of Inland Navigation“

Waterways in Europe

• > 30,000 km of navigable waterways

• 2012 EU-wide 6.5 % 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

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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: www.worldcanals.com

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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)

• 60,000 employees

• fairway 26 m deep (=without limitation of a ships draught)

* on the basis of total cargo throughput

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further information

Rhine-Main-Danube Axis

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The Inland Waterway Axis Rhine-Main-Danube

Rhine

Main-Danube-CanallMain

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: 3,504 km

• connects 15 countries

• Main-Danube-Canal opened to navigation since 1992

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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

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Danube – data and facts

• second largest river in Europe

• 2,845 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)

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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 1.075 km is largest share

• river basin covers 801,463 km² ->

- important transport mode

- important source of energy and drinking water

- valuable recreational and living environment

05.08.2014 9source: viadonau

Danube Bordering States

Comparison:Rhine and Danube

Rhine Danube

26 billion tkm carryings (2010)

43 Mio. t freight volume (2010)

2,414 km length

90 billion tkm carryings (2010)

300 Mio. t freight volume (2010)

885 km length

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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 DanubeGönyű–Turnu-Severin,

860 km length

• Lower DanubeTurnu-Severin–Sulina,

931 km length

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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)

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Lock in Freudenau

Lock Facilities

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source: viadonau

lock operations were carried out free of charge 24 hours/7 days a week

Austrian Locks

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source: viadonau

9 locks/river power plants on the Austrian Danube

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Aschach, Ottensheim, Abwinden

Austrian Locks

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source: viadonau

Aschach, Ottensheim, Abwinden

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Wallsee, Persenbeug, Melk

Austrian Locks

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source: viadonau

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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

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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

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source: viadonau

Availability of the Danube

• navigability of 97.9 %* or 357 days per year

• weather-related closures caused by high water or ice formation possible

• low water periods (water level < 2.5 )-> vessels can not be fully loaded -> less rentability

* observation period: 1997–2012

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maintaining the waterway (e.g. riverbed surveying) and information on fairway depth (RIS) improve the usability of the Danube

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source: viadonau

Fairway Maintenance

• fairway maintenance circle:

- regular bathymetric surveys of the riverbed

- Maintenance

- dredging shallow areas

- continuous information on the current state of the fairway

• in Austria viadonau – Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft mbH

in charge of maintenance

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source: viadonau

Fairway maintenance cycle

Sources

• viadonau (2005): Manual on Danube Navigation, Wien.

• viadonau (2013): Manual on Danube Navigation, Vienna.Order: http://www.via-donau.org/en/economy/online_services/manual_on_danube_navigation/

• viadonau (2013): Danube Navigation in Austria– Annual Report 2012, Vienna.

Download : http://www.via-donau.org/en/newsroom/brochures/

• INeS Danube information platform on intermodal inland navigation

Homepage: http://www.ines-danube.info/?lang=en

• Brandenburg, Oelfke, Oelfke, Waschkau (2012): Güterverkehr –Spedition - Logistik

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Contact

Lisa-Maria Putz, BSc MAProject Leader REWWay

Logistikum – University of Applied Sciences Upper AustriaFH OÖ Forschungs & Entwicklungs GmbHWehrgrabengasse 1-3, 4400 Steyr/AustriaTel.: +43 50804-33253Fax: +43 50804-33299e-mail: lisa-maria.putz@fh-steyr.atweb1: www.logistikum.atweb2: www.fh-ooe.at

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