Factors determining the current role of the Danube in logistics systems
Numerous problems in the functioning of freight transport in European Union countries increasingly argue for the need to more actively utilize the spare transport capacity of those modes of transport that determine the implementation of sustainable transport policy, while simultaneously guaranteeing the efficiency of the entire transport system. In this light, the problem arises of assessing the opportunities and possibilities for the development of inland navigation, in particular on waterways that are currently underutilized. A specific example of such a waterway is the Danube. Although it is the second-largest waterway in Europe in terms of length (a total of 2,850 km, with the section considered navigable from Kelheim to Sulina covering 2,411 km), its utilization for shipping and its role in shaping logistics systems is currently small.
One of the analytical tools used in modern management is the SWOT analysis, which allows for the assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of a phenomenon from the perspective of its internal potential and the influence of external conditions. This type of analysis was used by the Austrian waterway authority, Via Donau, to assess the development opportunities for inland navigation using the Danube waterway (Table 1).
The basic premises for the development of shipping on the Danube stem primarily from the general technical and operational advantages of inland water transport, which ultimately determine transport costs, infrastructure expenditures, and external transport costs. Inland water transport vessels primarily ensure significant mass transport (Figure 1), understood as the ability to move a large cargo batch at once. For example, the use of a set on the Danube consisting of a motor barge and one pushed barge (a combi-type set) with a capacity of 3,700 tons allows for the replacement of 93 railcars with a capacity of 40 tons or 148 trucks with a capacity of 25 tons. The use of such a number of road vehicles would correspond to a road column about 10 km long, and consequently, would mean an increase in congestion, noise, carbon dioxide emissions, and a deterioration in transport safety.
A significant argument for the shipping utilization of the Danube is also the investment expenditure necessary for the development of this waterway. Austrian research shows that infrastructure costs, calculated per 1,000 tkm, for this waterway are almost twice as low as in road transport and more than six times lower than in rail transport.
The primary threats to the development of shipping on the Danube from the perspective of the specifics of inland navigation stem especially from a strong dependence on natural conditions, the low speed of transport means, and the density of the network, which limits the possibilities for direct transport. The low technical speed of inland water transport means and the limited directness of transport significantly affect the extension of cargo delivery time in a “door-to-door” relationship. Research shows that the transport time for containers via the Danube from Germany to Bulgaria, including feeder transport over a distance of up to 50 km, would be 11 days, while direct transport by truck would take only 4 days. These studies also show that the cost of such transport via the Danube on this route would be more than 20% lower than by truck. Thus, despite the longer delivery time, the economic factor can play a significant role in the process of activating container shipping on the Danube. Among the threats to the development of shipping on the Danube, a problem is posed in particular by sectional depth restrictions, which prevent the use of high-tonnage vessels and also necessitate sailing with limited utilization of their capacity. This situation significantly affects the economic results of shipowners operating on this waterway. It is expected that these restrictions will be eliminated by 2015 in connection with the concept of implementing the TEN network, in which the Danube waterway is one of the basic links.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 5/2007.