Determinants of inland navigation on the Vistula from Warsaw to Gdańsk

Abstract

Waterborne transport is the cheapest, the safest and the least harmful to the natural environment. Restoring regular waterway cargo transport will require revitalisation of the existing trans- -shipment and logistics infrastructure for commercial inland ports and building new. Transport policy makers must remember that waterborne transport is the most ecological type of transport. It produces only 10% of the gases emitted to the atmosphere by equivalent road transport. Its energy intensity constitutes 30% of the energy intensity of road transport. This article addresses the issues related to inland navigation on the lower Vistula, presenting the river as a waterway, along with its quality and general conditions for navigation. It describes the arrangement and condition of water infrastructure, with particular focus on river ports and the inland waterway fleet.

Keywords

• the Vistula
• inland navigation
• inland ports
• hydrotechnical structure