INWAPO

Central European waterways offer the opportunity to transport goods economically and sustainably. The main objective of the INWAPO Strategic Project was to increase the attractiveness of waterborne transport by improving the efficiency of river and sea ports and to enhance the functional integration of ports with their hinterland and with other ports by supporting the realisation of infrastructure investments and the activation of new intermodal transport services. INWAPO involved three main shipping systems: the North Adriatic ports (Venice, Trieste and Koper), the Danube ports (Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Komarno) and the Czech and Polish waterways (Elbe, Vistula and Oder systems), with an extension towards the Baltic ports.

Co-operation within the project led to the following results:

• an up-to-date picture of the potential demand and supply of services and infrastructure in the major Central European ports;
• feasibility studies of new connections to support the activation of transport services;
• definition of development priorities to improve tri-modal accessibility enabling project partners to prepare investment plans and joint cooperation opportunities;
• pilot actions: preparation of strategic investments, ICT investments, testing of new services.

Finally, three investments were carried out thanks to the project: purchase of a forklift in the Port of Vienna; development of infrastructure for direct access to water and electricity at the quay for cargo ships in the Port of Budapest; renovation of a crane in the Port of Bratislava, allowing the attraction of goods that were previously transported only by road and thus contributing concretely to modal shift (especially for agricultural products).

Duration

01/10/2011 - 31/12/2014

Budget

€ 3,808,299.00