This week, the Dutch minister of Transport reported briefly on the status of the 2019 Green Deal for Shipping. She confirmed that a the feasibility study on a EU Inland Navigation Green Fund would be completed after summer.

“Maritime by Holland”, the Dutch maritime platform connecting 12 maritime sectors including inland navigation, has published an open letter to the Dutch government urging for a joint recovery of the maritime cluster, with focus on sustainability:

An informal alliance has been launched in the European Parliament on the back of calls from 12 EU environment ministers who have signed an appeal for a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 a pandemic and governments worldwide have taken wide-ranging measures to contain the spread of the virus. The transport sector has a crucial role to play in the supply of goods, in particular medicines, medical devices, food and other essential commodities needed to overcome this crisis. The transport sector also proves to be a vital instrument in these times where many European citizens are restricted in their mobility. A total of 22 European associations representing transport, infrastructure managers, operators, workers in all transport modes and logistics, contractors, local and regional authorities, logistics service providers, shippers, users and equipment suppliers in the maritime, port, inland waterways, railways, road, cycling, aviation and intermodal sectors, as well as supporting industries and companies, issued a joint statement.

Making inland shipping more sustainable. The Arnhem Nijmegen Region collaborates with public authorities, knowledge institutions and the shipping industry from the Netherlands and abroad. On January 22, a meeting took place about making inland shipping in Nijmegen more sustainable. With Waal, Dutch, German, Belgian and other European stakeholders presented ambitious projects that help make inland shipping more sustainable. A foundation for further cooperation was laid through this exchange of knowledge.