Abstract:

The main objective of the article is to identify opportunities to enhance the role of inland waterway transport (IWT) in the EU transport system and thus create a more sustainable transport system. On the basis of a critical analysis of the professional literature, the participation of IWT in freight transport in the EU, examination of EU programmes for the IWT development and the adoption of a logical reasoning approach, it might be concluded that, in the best-case scenario, the current role of IWT in the EU transport system will be maintained. First of all, the limited interest of customers in IWT services is not conducive to the EU's stronger commitment to the development of this mode of transport. Recently imposed environmental requirements which need to be met in the development of inland waterways constitutes another significant inhibiting factor which considerably increases the cost of this process.