New EU co-financed surveying vessel baptized in Vukovar
Press release
25.10.2017, Vukovar
The European coordinator for the Rhine-Danube Corridor Karla Peijs baptized the first surveying vessel within the EU-project FAIRway Danube in presence of the Croatian Minister for Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković. The vessel was named “Connecting Europe 1” and provides up-to-date recordings of the riverbed, which is high value for fleet operators and shippers.
"Today, 25th of October is an important day for the Rhine-Danube Core Corridor. The putting into service of the "Connecting Europe 1" is of high symbolic importance for the broader development of our European project. The vessel will provide an invaluable service to the whole inland waterway community for many years to come." said Peijs. Minister Butković stated that inland waterway transport investments are a prerequisite for a successful economy, an important contribution to the turisticalgrowth and development of a competitive and interconnected economy.
The Croatian surveying vessel was procured by the Croatian Agency for Inland Waterways and constructed by the Flammifer LLC in Ozalj. It is the first of a total of nine specialized vessels which will be delivered within the FAIRway Danubeproject ((http://www.fairwaydanube.eu). It is financed under the Connecting Europe Facility (https://ec.europa.eu/inea/en/connecting-europe-facility), the 27 Billion Euro investment programme of the European Union, investmentin close cooperation between beneficiaries from Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria. The focus of FAIRway Danube is to provide current and harmonized information on shallow sections, water levels and water level forecasts. Available depths will be used optimally by adapting the location of the waterway to the current riverbed conditions. This way, FAIRway Danube is aiming at the improvement of the fairway conditions of the Danube and its navigable tributaries.
Background Information FAIRway Danube:
The project FAIRway Danube is the first implementation phase of the “Fairway Rehabilitation and Maintenance Master Plan for the Danube and its navigable tributaries” (https://www.danube-navigation.eu/uploads/files/2014-11-13_FRMMP_final_document_clean.pdf) which has been developed in the framework of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR, https://www.danube-navigation.eu/).
The Master Plan was endorsed by the Danube Ministers of Transport in December 2014. It aims at reaching and ensuring good navigation conditions throughout the year by providing a minimum level of service. FAIRway Danube is carried out jointly in 6 countries: Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania. The actions are co-financed by the Connecting Europe Facility programme of the European Union (https://ec.europa.eu/inea/en/connecting-europe-facility).
During the project term (July 2015 - June 2020) FAIRway Danube will significantly increase the knowledge on shallow sections of the Danube waterway, so that the fairway routing can be optimised and national rehabilitation measures drafted. Furthermore, FAIRway Danube prepares for the full deployment of the Master Plan by providing the foundation for supplementary and additional projects.
Partners and beneficiaries
Austria: Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology and via donau-ÖsterreichischeWasserstraßen-Gesellschaft mbH (viadonau)
Slovakia: Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development and Waterborne Transport Development Agency (ARVD)
Hungary: Ministry of National Development (NFM), Nemzeti Infrastruktura Fejleszto Zrt. (NIF) and General Directorate of Water Management (OVF)
Croatia: Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure and Infrastructure and Agency for Inland Waterways (AVP)
Bulgaria: Executive Agency "Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube River" (EAEMDR)
Romania: River Administration of the Lower Danube Galati (AFDJ)
Romania: Administration of the Navigable Canals (ACN)
Key facts
- Duration: 07/2015 - 06/2020
- Total Budget: EUR 23.4 Mn
- Total EU co-financing: EUR 19.6 Mn
- Budget for Croatia: EUR 2,23 Mn
- Co-financing 85% from the European Union
Lidija Hubalek (National Coordinator)
AVP – Agency for Inland Waterways
Parobrodarska 5, 32000 Vukovar, Croatia
Tel: +385 (32) 445 051
Email: lidija.hubalek@vodniputovi.hr
