MEETING AT THE MINISTRY OF MARITIME ECONOMY AND INLAND NAVIGATION REGARDING THE VISTULA-ODER WATERWAY

To begin, the Ministry presented information on progress in work on the Development Programmes for the Oder Waterway and Vistula Waterway. Results were also presented of the “Analysis of the inland water transport sector in the scope resulting from modernisation of the Oder Waterway and Vistula River Waterway”. In the case of the Vistula river, initial results of the transport analysis show that it is profitable to invest in this river route, assuming that the waterway is upgraded to class IV navigability and that navigation will be possible for at least 296 days per year. The presented forecast of volume and structure of cargo for inland waterway transport also indicated great potential for locating future freight terminals in such centres on the Vistula as Gdańsk, Bydgoszcz – Solec Kujawski, Włocławek, Płock or Warsaw.

Next, representatives of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship, on behalf of the IWW E70 Team, presented the results of work on the Study of the course of IWW E70 on the Oder-Vistula section. An analysis of the conditions of functioning of the indicated waterway was presented as an initial step to further in-depth work on developing the proper document, i.e. the above-mentioned Study, whose aim will be to assess the possibility of upgrading the Oder-Vistula waterway to requirements of the AGN Convention (waterway of at least class IV navigability) within the Lubuskie, Wielkopolskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeships. Additionally, in connection with activities undertaken by spatial and regional planning services of the above-mentioned regions, the progress of work was discussed in terms of detailing provisions of the analysis of area conditions, together with setting a boundary of the study and establishing a schedule for further work. The parties to the IWW E70 agreements declared their readiness to undertake work, together with the Ministry of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation, on a study of the course of the International Waterway E70 in the Oder-Vistula section and to continuously cooperate with government authorities on this subject.

At the end of the meeting, representatives of the Ministry of Inland Waterway Transport were given a study, i.e. a Location Study for the investment project entitled: “Multimodal platform based on water, rail, road and air transport with a logistics and storage centre and a river port located on the specified area of the left bank of the Vistula (km 766-771), including the area of the city of Bydgoszcz and the municipality of Solec Kujawski”, developed as part of the international EMMA project (Interreg BSR). This document demonstrates the optimal location for the construction of a future platform within the administrative borders of the City of Bydgoszcz and Solec Kujawski Municipality, taking into account geological, environmental, transport, economic, financial and legal factors, as well as field conditions associated with the project.