The core objective of the 3rd GRENDEL Public Consultation organised on 30 September 2020 by the Danube Commission was to discuss on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Danube IWT with public and private stakeholders and relevant services of the European Commission and to consider possible recovery actions. The video conference gathered over 50 participants.

Both passenger and cargo transportation were highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with cargo not having time to fully recover after the drought of 2018. Limiting the devastating impact on the industry therefore has to be high on the agenda of decision-makers at all levels.

The online dialogue covered the key issues, such as strategies and actions for recovery in the regulatory framework, economic analysis and perspectives of major industries in the Danube region, including barging companies, situation and perspectives of Danube sea and river ports.

The panel provided a forum within experts interacted on the challenges as regards to fleet and ports operation, infrastructure maintenance, job protection and education, new projects and initiatives in times of the COVID-19 crisis.

Particular emphasis was placed on the financial solutions available within the framework of EU funds, including the GRENDEL Model State Aid Scheme as an excellent instrument for fleet modernization and the Recovery and Resilience Fund to support measures for the inland waterway sector.

The presentations of the event are available for download below.

Impact of COVID-19 on transport of cargo on Danube & navigable tributaries and economic perspectives

·      Overview on development of IWT – Market Observation Q1 & Q2/2020 (Pjotr Suvorov, Chief Engineer DC)

·      Situation and perspective of Danube sea-and river ports (Costel Stanca, General Director Port of Constanta)

·      Situation and perspective of Danube sea-and river ports (Bela Szalma, Chairman Advisory Group Danube Ports Network (DPN))

·      Economic perspective of major industries in the Danube region with high relevance for IWT (Richard Grieveson, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies)

Strategies and actions for recovery which can be taken into account in the regulatory framework

·      Strategies and actions for recovery (Herfried Leitner, Chairman Pro Danube International)

·      Strategies and actions for recovery (Theresia Hacksteiner, General-Secretary European Barge Union EBU)

·      Strategies and actions for recovery (Fritz Lehr, CEO Port of Vienna, President EFIP and IGÖD)

·      Austrian experiences and lessons learnt (Vera Hofbauer, Head of Unit BMK/W2)