Modal Shift Potential for Danube Shipping: The Market for Containerized Transport of Dry Bulk

In the field of inland waterway transportation (IWT), Europe faces substantial shortcomings when it comes to integrating this mode of transport into the broader transportation network. Transportation of containers is a promising market segment for Danube waterway transport. Containerization of goods potentially reduces handling time, risks and therefore costs since goods can be transported from origin to destination without having to change the cargo unit when changing modes of transport. Moreover, several types of goods could be consolidated on one vessel, addressing the decreasing average shipment size. The competitiveness of multimodal transports by inland navigation thus potentially increases. This study uncovers the potential for a shift from road transport to inland vessels in the EU Danube riparian states, particularly within the dry bulk goods market. The extracted substantial quantity transported by road which bears potential for a shift to Danube navigation amounts up to 140 Mio. tons and 75 billion TKM in 2021.