David Edwards-May On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 a pandemic and governments worldwide have taken wide-ranging measures to contain the spread of the virus. Inland Waterways International is one of many organisations that has signed an appeal to European Governments and authorities to facilitate freight transport operations in these difficult times. … Read more
As a member of PIANC’s Navigating a Changing Climate initiative, IWI supports the association’s Declaration on Climate Change, launched today 10th December 2019, during the Round Table on Resilience at COP25 in Madrid, Spain. The President of the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC) presented the policy document as PIANC’s contribution to the growing … Read more
The World Canals Conference at Yangzhou in China, on September 26-28, focused on the heritage potential of canals, and their role in regeneration and renewal. At 1863 km long and 2500 years old, the Grand Canal breaks all canal records and puts European waterways in the shade. The WCC was held in Yangzhou in Jiangsu … Read more
Partners from across the North West Region of Europe (UK, Ireland, France, Belgium and the Netherlands) met today in Paris to kick off the EU-funded Interrreg project “Green WIN“. The meeting, hosted by Voies Navigables de France (VNF), set out the schedule for this new transnational project, which looks at the environmental efficiency of water management … Read more
Report by member Tim Coghlan (first published in Towpath Talk, No. 96) Irish eyes were justifiably smiling following the 31st World Canals Conference (WCC) – the second to be hosted by Ireland. The first was held jointly in Dublin and Belfast in 2001 and this year’s conference moved to central Ireland, to the town of … Read more
All boat owners, especially those who live aboard their boats, with gas appliances, will be interested in a new initiative by BWML. From 17th to 23rd September, organisations from across the UK will be working together to raise awareness on the dangers of gas and how to avoid them. The goal is to educate people … Read more
The Håverud Aqueduct on the Dalsland Canal in Sweden celebrated its 150th anniversary on 31st August 2018.
by Maggie Armstrong (I-474) A quick glance at the map of the inland waterways published by the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) in their 2016 Marketing Report is enough to make any skipper with a cargo barge less than 85m long fear that their future is on the line. Many of the waterways they regularly work are … Read more
Plastics in our oceans are an issue that is receiving increasing attention worldwide. All who navigate on our inland waterways have their role to play in preventing plastic wastes from entering any water body. Plastic wastes on great rivers like the Yangtze or the Rhône are less spectacular than the great Pacific plastic vortex, but … Read more
IWI has established itself as a ‘place to be’ at the world’s biggest boat show, BOOT Düsseldorf, thanks to the generous conditions offered by Messe Düsseldorf. The prototype of our dedicated Inland Waterways Pavilion was set up and staffed by Council members from January 19-28, 2018, with results that augur well for even greater impact … Read more
The recent World Canals Conference in Syracuse, NY, was a great success, with more than 350 delegates from 12 countries. I took part in a pre-conference ‘Tour the Towpath‘ cycling rally on September 23-24, followed by IWI’s Annual General Meeting on the Sunday evening, then the four-day conference. There is so much to learn at … Read more
The new French government plans to ‘pause’ the long-awaited Seine-Nord Europe Canal. Immediately after the newly-elected president Emmanuel Macron formed his Government, there were concerns for the project, as the Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was known to be less than luke-warm to the project (as mayor of Le Havre, fearing a loss of traffic). After … Read more