IWT Platform
As of 1 January 2019, the European Barge Union (EBU) and the European Skippers Organisation (ESO), the two organisations representing the Inland Waterway Transport sector at European level, established the "European Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) Platform".
The IWT Platform will strenghten the industry by participating pro-actively in the decision making processes related to the areas covered by the Committees of the IWT Platform.
The Platform aims at a stronger positioning of Inland Navigation in European and National Transport Policies by an intensified contribution to various governing bodies, working parties and standard setting committees. At the same time, the Platform will encourage innovation with respect to the fleet's technical progress leading to even more environmentally friendly vessels. Facilitating access to financial instruments of all kinds shuold bring leverage to this progress. Last but not least, Inland Navigation should become more respected and better integrated in Europe's Transport System and should be at the forefront when it comes to preparing this system for 2030 and beyond. Making IWT more effective and efficient with the help of disruptive innovation and digitalisation in general will be key in this evolution.