Inland Waterway Transport of Containerised Cargo: From Infancy to a Fully Fledged Transport Mode

In a time span of twenty five years, container transport by barge has acquired a significant share in the hinterland modal split for containers of the seaports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. In other European load centres, barge container transport as yet plays a modest role, but the interest in the barge option is growing. This paper addresses the dynamics in the European barging industry that have taken place in the last twenty five years. The paper analyses structural changes in liner service schedules by barge, the changing functional interdependencies between inland terminals in the network and the organizational changes in the industry. The paper will conclude by discussing some current issues related to the barging network in the Rhine basin, but also outside this main waterway artery.