Creating smart ecosystems

Problem

Watertruck tackles the biggest threats for the traditional inland navigation:

• Small inland vessels are rapidly disappearing from the transport market
• There is a lack of workforce.
• Young bargemen prefer larger vessels.
• New shippers’ markets can’t be opened up by traditional shipping.
• The urban modal split requires innovative solutions that lead to lower global transport costs.
• The use of small waterways needs a helping hand to be able to compete with the very competitively priced road transport but also tackles the following issues.
• The modal split objectives are far from being reached.
• Congested roads.
• Financing issues for smaller vessels.

Solution

A new, flexible concept for freight transport, based on push tugs and pushed barges: smaller vessels on small waterways; and on larger waterways a combination of pushed units (convoys) that are taken to their destination by a push tug.

Project Development

• An analysis of the market of small inland barges in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
• Research on operational challenges and opportunities.
• Industrial trial runs in Belgium, the Netherlands and France.
• Information about the advantages of Watertruck to all parties involved.

Advantages

To attract staff:

• Introduction of a shift work system.
• Creation of an attractive job on the water in combination with a sedentary life on land.

For the industry and shippers:

• Better equipped inland waterways transport.
• Optimized organization for the supply chain leading to lower global transport costs.
• New niche markets for shippers (ex. waste collection, recycled material).
• Evolution towards sustainable freight transport.

For society in general:

• Small waterways retain and improve their vital role for freight transport.
• Better mobility guarantees thanks to less congested roads.
• Realization of the desired modal split objectives for freight transport.
• A more sustainable view on urban logistics.
• More safety for personnel in the transport sector.

Result

At the end of the project, lead partner Smart Mobility, together with Vlaamse Waterweg and the Flemish Government, entered a new project request with the European authorities to transform the concept into a practical application. This resulted in the follow-up project

This project had the financial support of Interreg IVB-VWE