Illustration: © GeoNames, TomTom, Microsoft edited by viadonau
FAIRway Danube II is a transnational project with the involvement of Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania that aims to increase the fairway conditions on the Danube and make inland navigation more climate resilient, sustainable and attractive.
The project will be realised between April 2023 and December 2027.
Project Background
FAIRway Danube II is a follow-up project of the CEF flagship FAIRway Danube (www.fairwaydanube.eu) that already significantly increased the knowledge on shallow sections and drafting of rehabilitation measures. Moreover, the FAIRway project includes the ongoing Preparing FAIRway 2 works and FAIRway works! that are also improving infrastructure and monitoring systems on the Danube.
FAIRway Danube II, valued at 70 million euros (47 million euros EU funding), officially approved by the EU in June 2023, will continue the successful course in terms of fairway modernization along the Danube for the coming years.
The planned tasks and objectives of FAIRway Danube II:
Good Navigation Status
Establish Fixed and Mobile Sensors for Measuring the Good Navigation Status (GNS)
Foto: © viadonau/Zinner
FAIRway Danube II aims to ensure the Good Navigation Status (GNS) of the transnational waterway Danube. The Good Navigation Status is crucial for safe and efficient navigation, covering factors like water levels, fairway depths, and bridge clearance. To gather even more information on the fairway conditions on the Danube, advanced fixed and mobile sensors, system upgrades, and cutting-edge tools will be deployed.
Our Initiatives:
1. Establishment of Fixed Sensors for GNS Monitoring:
2. Establishment of Mobile Sensors for GNS Monitoring:
Our main goal is to enhance the navigability of the transnational waterway Danube by improving accuracy in fairway depth, water level, and bridge clearance. This ensures a safe and efficient passage for vessels. Moreover, the accuracy of water-level forecasts will be improved as part of the FAIRway Danube II.
Waterway Management
Upgrade of the National Waterway Management Systems (WAMS) & the transnational Waterway Monitoring System (WAMOS 2.0)
Screenshot: © viadonau/WAMOS
Efficient and safe navigation along the Danube relies on robust information gathering and processing. The national WAterway Management Systems (WAMS) and the trans-national WAterway MOnitoring System (WAMOS) are the key information hubs for consolidating data and information concerning Good Navigations Status (GNS) along the Danube.
WAMS
Functioning as the backbone for national waterway management the national WAMS collect data from various sources. Under FAIRway Danube II, participating countries upgrade their national systems. This enhancement integrates data from fixed and mobile sensors, as well as external sources, crucial for critical decision-making on national level. As a further step towards harmonised data along the Danube the newly national data will also be feed into the transnational WAterway MOnitoring System (WAMOS).
WAMOS
The trans-national WAMOS collects hydrological and hydrographical data from the riparian Danube Waterway Administrations in one system. It offers a harmonized display and quality of the data along the entire Danube from the border of Germany and Austria to the Black Sea. At the moment WAMOS provides data on river morphology in bottlenecks, fairway availability statistics, water-levels and hydrological conditions.
The upgrade to WAMOS 2.0 in FAIRway Danube II represents a step forward in transnational waterway management for enhanced navigational safety and efficiency.
The upgrade of the WAMS’s and the enhancement of WAMOS 2.0 will improve the information access and planning reliability for all users on the Danube. All these initiatives actively contribute to attractiveness of inland shipping as a climate-friendly mode of transport.
Water-Level Forecast
Advancing Planning Reliability: Extended Water-Level Forecast
Screenshot: © viadonau/DoRIS
Water-level forecasts play a pivotal role in logistical decision-making. The dynamic impact of climate change has accelerated water-level fluctuations, emphasizing the need for an extended lead-time to enhance planning reliability. As part of FAIRway Danube II Water-Level Forecast will be enhanced.
Extension of the lead time to 6 days.
Extension of the lead time to 7 days.
A feasibility study is underway in collaboration with Austria (AT), Hungary (HU), and Romania (RO) to assess the viability of introducing a midterm forecast extending up to 6 weeks. This ambitious initiative aims to further enhance planning capabilities and adapt to the evolving challenges posed by climate change.
Significance of Extended Water-Level Forecast:
Improved Logistics Decision-Making and Planning Reliability: Logistics operators heavily rely on water-level forecasts for loading decisions. With an extended lead-time, operators can make more informed and strategic choices, optimizing their logistics operations. This translates to smoother and more efficient transportation of goods.
Climate Change Adaptation: The accelerated changes in water levels due to climate change necessitate proactive measures. The extended forecast lead-time allows for better preparation and adaptability to dynamic environmental conditions, e.g. by flexible infrastructure elements that increase the fairway depth and can be installed before a projected low water period.
Climate Resilience
Innovative Solutions for Enhanced Climate Resilience: Pilot Projects for Flexible Infrastructure Elements
Graphic: © viadonau
The free-flowing sections of the Danube, known for their dynamic nature, experience ongoing erosion and sedimentation. Innovative methods have been developed to complement traditional river engineering tools. These methods include changes in sediment management, transporting dredged material upstream, and the creation of artificial islands to increase velocity in shallow sections, providing ecological benefits simultaneously.
However, longer low water periods due to climate change, bring a new challenge for dealing with shallow sections of the Danube. Within the framework of FAIRway Danube II we are pleased to carry out pilot tests for flexible infrastructure elements in shallow sections in the Danube. This innovative approach offers a non-invasive, near natural solution for low water periods, promising an increase in fairway depth.
Based on a technique already used in 1890 the modern interpretation of the flexible infrastructure elements is very promising and will contribute to a more resilient Danube in the future.
The implementation of these projects across Austria, Croatia, Romania, and Bulgaria marks a significant step toward achieving sustainable and adaptable waterway management.
Contact and Beneficiaries
Project Coordinator
via donau - Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft mbh
Beneficiaries
“Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor CINEA can be held responsible for them.”
