UNECE adopts revised European Code for Inland Waterways
Geneva, 16 November 2009 --
Transport by inland waterway is an increasingly attractive transport option because it is a cost-efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly mode of transport. 27,913 km of European inland waterways have been recognized by governments as significant under the framework of the 1996 European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of International Importance (AGN).
To facilitate traffic on inland waterways and ensure safety, harmonized navigation rules are essential. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) completed a revision of the European Code for Inland Waterways (CEVNI) during the 53rd session of the Working Party on Inland Water Transport on 4-6 November 2009. The Revision takes into account best practices from the existing traffic regulations of the river navigation commissions for the Rhine, Danube, Mosel and the Sava River.
The new code offers:
- Simplified navigation rules
- New provisions to account for modern navigation techniques, such as the use of Inland Automatic Identification System, and
- A mechanism for reporting on special national and regional requirements.
CEVNI was first established in 1962 and has since that time been maintained the UNECE Working Party on Inland Water Transport. It contains the core uniform rules applicable to the traffic on inland waterways, such as marking on vessels, visual signs on vessels, sound signals and radiotelephony, waterway signs and markings, rules of the road, berthing rules, signaling and reporting requirements, and prevention of pollution of water and disposal of waste.
The provisions of CEVNI are traditionally based on the relevant regulations of river commissions for the Rhine and the Danube, adjusted to the pan-European scope of the code. The implementation of the new code in the UNECE countries will be facilitated and monitored by a special expert group composed of Governments and River commissions.
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Ref: ECE/TRANS/09/P13