Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Directorate for statistical data and studies (SDES)
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Departement for Transport Statistics
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Services des Données et des Etudes Statistiques
Tour Sequoia
1 place Carpeaux
92055 Paris - La Défense Cedex
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
29 August 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
29 August 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
29 August 2025
3.1. Data description
Inland waterway transport statistics provides information on the volume and performance of freight transport on EU inland waterway network. They are reported on the basis of the "territoriality principle" which means that each country reports the loading, unloading and movements of goods that take place on its national territory, irrespective of country of origins of undertakings or place of first loading and final unloading.
The full data provision obligation includes:
annually: goods transport by type of goods, by nationality of vessels and by type of vessel as well as container transport by type of goods;
quarterly: goods and container transport by nationality of vessels.
In addition, the legislation foresees voluntary annual data on vessel traffic. Voluntary annual data on the transport of dangerous goods and the number of accidents has been agreed with the reporting countries.
In summary, the statistics transmitted to Eurostat on inland waterway transport:
Transport of goods (annual and quarterly mandatory data provision);
Vessel traffic (annual voluntary data provision);
Transport of dangerous goods (annual voluntary data provision)
Number of accidents (annual voluntary data provision).
3.2. Classification system
Country and NUTS codes
Territorial units like reporting country and regions for loading/unloading are coded according to NUTS classification for those units covered by NUTS Regulation and to ISO 3166 for the rest (e.g. territorial units outside EU). The used version of NUTS always corresponds to the version in use and no conversion to previous version is required. For instance, NUTS 2006 is used for 2008 to 2011 data, NUTS 2010 for 2012 to 2014 data, NUTS 2013 for 2015 to 2017 and NUTS 2016 for 2018 until next NUTS Regulation.
The level of detail is either NUTS0 – for reporting country – or NUTS2 (basic regions, 4 digits) – for regions. When using ISO 3166 and 4-digits level coding is required (e.g. for regions outside EU), the two-digit ISO code followed by “ZZ” is used.
Goods classification
Prior to 2007, the types of goods reported as being transported by inland waterways were those defined by NST/R (Standard Goods for Transport Statistics). In 2007 only, the type of goods has been reported according either to the NST-2000 classification or to the NST/R classification. From 2008 onwards, only the NST2007 classification is valid as set out in Commission Regulation 1304/2007 amending Regulation 1365/2006 with respect to the establishment of NST2007 as the unique classification for transported goods in certain transport modes.
Dangerous goods are classified according to the European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways (ADN). The classes are the following:
ClassDenomination
1 Explosive substances and articles 2 Gases 3 Flammable liquids 4.1 Flammable solids, self-reactive substances and solid desensitised explosives 4.2 Substances liable to spontaneous combustion 4.3 Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases 5.1 Oxidising substances 5.2 Organic peroxides 6.1 Toxic substances 6.2 Infectious substances 7 Radioactive material 8 Corrosive substances 9 Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles
3.3. Coverage - sector
Inland waterways transport concerns any movement of goods using inland waterways vessels, which is undertaken wholly or partially in navigable inland waterways. The movements of goods using seagoing vessels undertaken wholly in navigable inland waterways are considered as inland waterways transport.
Out of scope: the following transport activities carried out on France inland waterways are not included in IWW transport statistics:
the carriage of goods by vessels of less than 50 deadweight tons;
vessels used principally for the carriage of passengers;
vessels used for ferrying purposes;
vessels used solely for non-commercial purposes by port administration and public authorities;
vessels used solely for bunkering storage;
vessels not used for the carriage of goods such as fishery vessels, floating workshops, houseboats and pleasure craft.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The definitions covering the main concepts used in this domain are included in Article 1 and Annex II to Regulation 425/2007. The main definitions are as follows:
Navigable inland waterway: A watercourse, no part of the sea, which by natural or man-made features is suitable for navigation, primarily by inland waterway vessels. This term covers navigable rivers, lakes, canals and estuaries.
Inland waterway vessel: A floating craft designed for the carriage of goods or public transport of passengers, which navigates predominantly in navigable inland waterways or in waters within, or closely adjacent to sheltered waters or areas where port regulations apply.
Nationality of the vessel: The country in which the vessel is registered.
Inland waterways transport: Any movement of goods using inland waterways vessels, which is undertaken wholly or partly in navigable inland waterways.
National inland waterways transport: Inland waterways transport between two ports of a national territory irrespective of the nationality of the vessel.
International inland waterways transport: Inland waterways transport between two ports located in different national territories.
Transit inland waterways transport: Inland waterways transport through a national territory between two ports both located in another national territory or national territories provided that in the total journey within the national territory there is no trans-shipment.
Inland movement: any movement of goods and/or passengers to and from inland ports connected by water routes which may be made navigable by one or more lock structures.
Inland waterways traffic: Any movement of a vessel on a given navigable inland waterway.
Types of vessels:
Self-propelled barge. Any powered inland waterways freight vessel, other than self-propelled tanker barges.
Barge not self-propelled. Any unpowered inland waterways freight vessel, other than not self-propelled tanker barges. This category includes towed, pushed and pushed-towed barges.
Self-propelled tanker barge. A self-propelled barge intended for the transport of liquids or gases in fixed tanks.
Tanker barge not self-propelled. A barge not self-propelled intended for the transport of liquids or gases in fixed tanks.
Other goods carrying vessel. Any other known or unknown kind of inland waterways freight vessel intended for carrying goods not defined in the previous categories.
Seagoing vessel. A vessel other than those, which navigate predominantly in navigable inland waterways or in waters within, or closely adjacent to, sheltered waters or areas where port regulations apply.
Containers: A freight container means an article of transport equipment:
of a permanent nature and accordingly strong enough to be suitable for repeated use;
specially designed to facilitate the carriage of goods by one or more modes of transport, without intermediate reloading;
fitted with devices permitting its ready handling, particularly its transfer from one mode of transport to another;
so designed as to be easy to fill and empty;
having a length of 20 feet or more.
The size of containers is reported according to four categories:
20 Foot ISO containers (length of 20 feet and width of 8 feet);
40 Foot ISO containers (length of 40 feet and width of 8 feet);
ISO containers over 20 feet and under 40 feet in length;
ISO containers over 40 feet long.
Containers smaller than 20 feet are reported under Category 1.
Containers of unknown size are reported under Category 3.
Inland waterways accidents: specific, identifiable, unexpected, unusual and unintended external event caused by, or in connection with, the operation of an inland waterways vessel resulting in an inland waterways casualty or incident which occurs at a particular time and place, without apparent cause but with marked effect.
By definition suicides are excluded, as they are a deliberate act. Because of their importance, suicide statistics should be collected separately. Terrorist and criminal acts are excluded.
Inland waterways accidents involving the transport of dangerous goods: An inland waterways accident involving a vessel carrying any of the classes of dangerous goods defined by the ADN classification
Inland waterway traffic: any movement of an IWT vessel on a given IWT network.When a vessel is being carried on another vehicle, only the movement of the carrying vehicle (active mode) is taken into account.
Inland waterway journey: any movement of an IW vessel from a specified point of origin to a specified point of destination.
The statistical units for inland waterways transport are the inland waterways undertakings.
This concerns all goods loaded and unloaded on ships entering and leaving ports.
3.6. Statistical population
All enterprises/undertakings that carry out inland waterways transport on a national territory over one year, irrespective of their country of origins or place of first loading and final unloading.
VNF manages approximately 80% (6700 km by 8500 km) of the French river network.
The rest of the navigable network is managed for example by:
Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR): concessionaire of the Rhône, downstream of Lyon, from the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône to the lock of Port Saint-Louis.
Autonomous ports: autonomous port of Strasbourg, HAROPA (Havre, Rouen).
Canals de Bretagne (no freight traffic on this part of the network)
Paris canals on sections (312, 313, 314 and 315).VNF collects traffic data either from handlers or a load statement is made. This makes it possible to have total coverage of the freight network.
3.7. Reference area
National territory, excluding Corsica and the overseas departments/regions.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The first period for data collected under the new Regulation is the year 2007. However, time series for which there is good data compatibility between the old and the new legislation are included in this domain as from 1990.
3.9. Base period
Data are not used as base for the calculation of any derived indicators such as index numbers or other ratios.
Data is disseminated using the following units of measure:
1000T: Thousands of tonnes;
MIO_TKM: Millions of tonnes/km (the transport of one tonne by inland waterways over one kilometre);
TEU: Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (a unit of volume used in maritime transport statistics equivalent to a 20-foot ISO container );
1000 TEU_KM: Thousands of TEUs/Km (the transport of one twenty-foot equivalent unit over one kilometre );
VES_MOV: Vessel movements (in number);
>VES_KM: Thousands of vessels/Km (the number of movement of an IWT vessel over one kilometre. The distance taken into account is the distance actually run. Movements of unladed vessels are included. In a convoy, each unit is counted as a vessel).
Regulation (EU) N° 2018/974 of the European Parliament and of the Council on statistics of goods transport by inland waterways contains seven datasets:
Table I1: Goods transport by type of goods (annual data);
Table II1: Transport by nationality of vessel and type of vessel (annual data);
Table II2: Vessel traffic (annual data - optional);
Table III1: Container transport by type of goods (annual data);
Table IV1: Transport by nationality of vessels (quarterly data);
Table IV2: Container transport by nationality of vessels (quarterly data);
Table V1: Goods transport (annual data).
In addition to the regulatory data collection:
the Inland Waterways Working Group Meeting held on February 2007 agreed to start the voluntary data collection of two new datasets:
Table A2: Transport of dangerous goods by inland waterways (annual data);
Table A3: Number of inland waterways accidents (annual data).
the Inland Waterways Working Group Meeting held on October 2013 agreed to start the voluntary data collection of two new datasets:
Table A4: Goods transport by port of loading and port of unloading (annual data);
Table A5: Goods transport by type of cargo (annual data).
In 2023, France send all mandatory datasets :
Table I1: Goods transport by type of goods (annual data);
Table II1: Transport by nationality of vessel and type of vessel (annual data);
Table III1: Container transport by type of goods (annual data);
Table IV1: Transport by nationality of vessels (quarterly data);
Table IV2: Container transport by nationality of vessels (quarterly data).
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
On Sdes information database, certain series contain confidential data (crossing of variables with secret): the key to the secret is the platform (departure or arrival depending, by default on the departure platform).
Primary secrecy: less than 3 platforms in the crossing or 1 platform accounts for 85% or more of the traffic. The key to the primary secrecy is the departure or arrival platform when the concept of departure or arrival is present in the breakdown, by default/convention the departure platform if this concept is not present in the breakdown, or if departure and arrival are both present in the breakdown.
Secondary secrecy: if only 1 box of a set is in secrecy, a second is necessary to not be able to find the value of the one in secrecy thanks to the set. We retain the “Not specified” modality if it exists or the one with the lowest volume.
Induced secrecy: if a set is in secrecy, its subsets are also secrecy. Indeed, it can happen that a set A is placed in secondary secrecy, even though neither it nor its sets require primary or secondary secrecy. It is therefore appropriate, if this is the case, to put at least 2 of its subsets in secrecy. It can be defined before secondary secrecy. Indeed, sometimes induced secrecy can replace secondary secrecy.
8.1. Release calendar
In the framework of Regulation (EU) 2018/974, Member States have to transmit their data as soon as possible and not later than five months after the end of the relevant period of observation. For annual datasets (Mandatory: I1, II1, III; Voluntary: A2, A3, A4, A5, II2, Simplified: V1), the deadline is end of May of the year after the reference year (e.g. 2021 data to be provided by end of May 2022). For quarterly datasets (IV1 and IV2), the deadlines are the following:
1st Quarter of Year Y: August of Year Y
2nd Quarter of Year Y: November of Year Y
3rd Quarter of Year Y: February of Year Y+1
4th Quarter of Year Y: May of Year Y+1
Eurostat shall disseminate appropriate statistical data with a periodicity comparable to that of the results transmitted.
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.
The results of inland waterways freight transport statistics are accessible via the Sdes information database.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not applicable.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not applicable.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Not applicable.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not applicable.
11.1. Quality assurance
Quality assurance framework for the Inland Water Transport Statistics is based on the ES CoP, the European Statistics Code of Practice adopted by the Statistical Programme Committee on 24 February 2005 and revised by the European Statistical System Committee in September 2011 and in November 2017. The European Statistics Code of Practice sets the standard for developing, producing and disseminating European statistics, along the lines of the institutional environment, statistical processes and statistical output.
Statistical authorities, comprising Eurostat, the National Statistical Institutes (NSIs) and Other National Authorities (ONAs) responsible for the development, production and dissemination of European Statistics, are strongly committed to quality – this commitment and high quality awareness are clearly expressed in the Quality Declaration of the ESS that is also included in the Preamble of the CoP.
The Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (ESS QAF) complements and breaks further down the Code of Practice.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
VNF:
On the French network except Rhine: data are checked a first time with the data management centres and a second time with the help of statistics responsible in regions after a statistic treatment. On the Rhine: No detailed check because VNF did not produced the files of data (only check of consistency of records).
SDES:
There is a set of validation rules and quality checks put in place, which detect various types of issues. In case of any issues detected, the data providers are contacted to provide explanations or/and revise the data accordingly.
The data providers then check the data, and correct them if needed.
The report from the Commission to the Parliament and Council concluded in 2010 that the adoption of the new Regulation has permitted rapid production of comparable and high-quality results. Data provision in the two subsequent years has improved, although there are still outstanding problems, particularly regarding the comparability, completeness and timeliness of the datasets delivered. Since then, these aspects have continued to improve. Some efforts still need to be made regarding mirror checks in particular.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The Inland Waterways Transport Statistics covers the information needs of different groups of users, among wich are different organizations, Public Administration, territorial administrations, private companies, media, researchers and universities, private enterprises and individuals.
Contact with users is also regular via the user support service of Eurostat: this activity concerns, in addition to the previous mentioned users, other categories of users such as national administrations, enterprises, researchers, universities, citizens, journalists and so on.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Eurostat conducts two types of evaluations that assess Eurostat's performance in general, and one of them are the User Satisfaction Surveys.
SDES is committed in understanding who the users of the statistics it produces are, what the data needs are, whether they match production and if the statistics produced fulfill the needs of users.
To this aim SDES is constantly in contact with key users of the statistics (among them national authorities, professional organization for French transport, public statistics, etc.) discussing results and new needs from both sides.
Not applicable for Inland Waterways transport collection.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Inland waterways transport concerns any movement of goods using inland waterways vessels, which is undertaken wholly or partially in navigable inland waterways. The movements of goods using seagoing vessels undertaken wholly in navigable inland waterways are considered as inland waterways transport.
Out of scope: the following transport activities carried out on EU inland waterways are not included in IWW transport statistics:
the carriage of goods by vessels of less than 50 deadweight tons;
vessels used principally for the carriage of passengers;
vessels used for ferrying purposes;
vessels used solely for non-commercial purposes by port administration and public authorities;
vessels used solely for bunkering storage;
vessels not used for the carriage of goods such as fishery vessels, floating workshops, houseboats and pleasure craft.
In France data, the Gambsheim lock serves as counting for transit. As the Rhine is an international river, there are no loading declarations on this waterway. VNF therefore retrieves data from the ports of Strasbourg, Mulhouse and Colmar + Gambsheim for transit to get traffic on the Rhine.
14.1. Timeliness
Data has to be delivered not later than five months after the end of the reference period.
14.2. Punctuality
The deadliness for transmission are usually respected.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Geographical comparability, at EU level, is obtained via the application of common concepts and validation rules. The harmonised interpretation of the methodology is enhanced by the organisation of regular meeting of the Working Group, where all participating countries are represented.
The mirror check exercise has highlighted relevant differences on the reported data.
While discrepancies in mirror checks may reveal systemic problems in the recording of the statistics, there could be simpler and more innocent explanations. For example, an Inland Waterways voyage could span two reference periods, leaving the port of loading at the end of a year and arriving at the port of unloading at the beginning of another. This in itself would create a discrepancy.
Another factor is that the port of loading is providing a “prediction” of the port of unloading whereas the port of unloading has full information about the journey. This will create problems when the vessel being carried, such as cereals, is traded in the course of the journey and is diverted away from the predicted port of unloading. A second factor is river conditions, where unusually high or low waters can mean that the voyage cannot be completed as originally planned and the vessel has to be unloaded at an intermediate port. There may also be problems for both the port of loading and unloading in determining the partner port, either because it cannot be identified or it is missing from the Eurostat list. This is complicated if the port names are in a foreign language.
As always, there will be errors and omissions in the reporting of the tonnage of vessel at either the port of loading or port of unloading.
The nationality of the flag of the vessel may not always be clear. There will be additional problems if the ownership of the vessel changes during the course of the voyage. If the change of ownership also leads to a change of flag, this will inevitably create a discrepancy.
15.2. Comparability - over time
There might be a break in time series for certain variables in 2007, due to the different methods of data collection used under the old and the new legislation. In addition, in 2007 there has been a change in the nomenclature applied for the classification of goods that has provoked a break on the time series for the tables showing data by type of goods.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Cross domain data comparison (for different modes of transport) is not always possible. For instance, maritime transport statistics are not yet teritorialised like the other modes of transport (IWW, road, railway, aviation). A consultation of the member states has been conducted by Eurostat in 2020 within the framework of the WG on Maritime trasnport staistics in order to get their views on the use of a specific method based on a distance matrix and the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).
Once the use of this method will be approved it will be possible to include maritime transport in modal split indicators and thus enable cross domain comparisons.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Each set of results is internally made consistent. For example, quarterly data are made consistent with annual data during annual collection.
The cost of compilation is not very high because it uses a computer chain, with recovery programs (which may need to be completed over the collections). The most time-consuming may be the various exchanges with VNF, when necessary.
The datasets reported quaterly can be revised once a year when annual datasets are transmitted.
The datasets reported annualy can be revised when necessary. For exemple, in may 2023:
better data from one port have been included for 2021 and 2022, and this will be the same for futur data;
better data for TEU and TEUkm for 2011 to 2022, and this will be the same for future data.
18.1. Source data
Data are collected and/or compiled by the competent national authorities, which can be for instance the National Statistical Office or the ministries responsible. Original data sources are normally the inland waterways transport undertakings. In addition, RIS (River Information System) is used as data sources in several countries.
Inland waterways statistics are based on the declarations made by undertakings that are compiled and aggregated at national level and then transmitted to Eurostat in accordance with the structure required in the existing legislation.
For France, data are collected by SDES using VNF information system as a data source:
French Network except Rhine (Skipper. Loading declaration)
Rhine (French Harbour of Rhine, border lock. Files of data)
The Gambsheim lock serves as counting for transit. As the Rhine is an international river, there are no loading declarations on this waterway. VNF therefore retrieves data from the ports of Strasbourg, Mulhouse and Colmar + Gambsheim for transit to get traffic on the Rhine.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Quarterly and annually.
18.3. Data collection
For France, data collection is done by quarterly sending of monthly .txt files to the SDES by VNF, and transmission via a dedicated functional mailbox with restricted access.
18.4. Data validation
VNF and Sdes (France):
Data are validated using automated programs, which produce some outputs : modalities of variables, consistency over time, intra datasets, interdatasets. Some manual checks can also be done if necessary.
If surprising developments or declarations are detected, a return is made to VNF for validation or correction.
Eurostat:
A validation of data reported is made after receipt of the data from each individual Member State. The main quality checks which are made in the phase of the data preparation for dissemination are formal checks (e.g. format, missing values in datasets, etc.), consistency checks (e.g. comparison of data with data of previous years, cross checks between different tables reported - annual and quarterly values for the same variable) and mirror checks (i.e. check of the values of two countries exchanging goods).
Possible data errors that are detected at this stage are communicated to the countries for checking purposes. Errors are corrected as soon as possible. Where necessary, data are re-supplied by the countries.
18.5. Data compilation
The calculations are conducted in the following way:
At country level:
National transport: addition of all TONNES/TKM/TEU/ TEU-Km reported by the country when the loading country and the unloading country are the same as the reporting country.
International transport: addition of all TONNES/TKM/TEU/ TEU-Km reported by the country when either (1) the loading country is equal to the reporting country and the unloading country is different from the reporting country or (2) the loading country is different from the reporting country and the unloading country is equal to the reporting country.
Transit transport: addition of all TONNES/TKM/TEU/ TEU-Km reported by the country when both the loading country and the unloading country are different from the reporting country.
Total transport: national transport + international transport + transit transport
At EU level:
EU National transport: addition of the national transport data of the reporting EU countries (in 1000T, MIO_TKM, TEU and 1000 TEU-KM);
EU International transport: addition of the international transport of the reporting EU countries (in MIO_TKM and 1000 TEU-KM);
EU Transit transport: addition of the transit transport of the reporting EU countries (in MIO_TKM and 1000 TEU-KM).
EU Total transport:
EU national transport + EU international transport (in 1000T and TEU);
EU national transport + EU international transport + EU transit transport (in MIO_TKM and 1000 TEU-Km).
18.6. Adjustment
Automatic adjustments, general or specific (terms, values, ...), may be applied, and some variables are created.
No comment.
Inland waterway transport statistics provides information on the volume and performance of freight transport on EU inland waterway network. They are reported on the basis of the "territoriality principle" which means that each country reports the loading, unloading and movements of goods that take place on its national territory, irrespective of country of origins of undertakings or place of first loading and final unloading.
The full data provision obligation includes:
annually: goods transport by type of goods, by nationality of vessels and by type of vessel as well as container transport by type of goods;
quarterly: goods and container transport by nationality of vessels.
In addition, the legislation foresees voluntary annual data on vessel traffic. Voluntary annual data on the transport of dangerous goods and the number of accidents has been agreed with the reporting countries.
In summary, the statistics transmitted to Eurostat on inland waterway transport:
Transport of goods (annual and quarterly mandatory data provision);
Vessel traffic (annual voluntary data provision);
Transport of dangerous goods (annual voluntary data provision)
Number of accidents (annual voluntary data provision).
29 August 2025
The definitions covering the main concepts used in this domain are included in Article 1 and Annex II to Regulation 425/2007. The main definitions are as follows:
Navigable inland waterway: A watercourse, no part of the sea, which by natural or man-made features is suitable for navigation, primarily by inland waterway vessels. This term covers navigable rivers, lakes, canals and estuaries.
Inland waterway vessel: A floating craft designed for the carriage of goods or public transport of passengers, which navigates predominantly in navigable inland waterways or in waters within, or closely adjacent to sheltered waters or areas where port regulations apply.
Nationality of the vessel: The country in which the vessel is registered.
Inland waterways transport: Any movement of goods using inland waterways vessels, which is undertaken wholly or partly in navigable inland waterways.
National inland waterways transport: Inland waterways transport between two ports of a national territory irrespective of the nationality of the vessel.
International inland waterways transport: Inland waterways transport between two ports located in different national territories.
Transit inland waterways transport: Inland waterways transport through a national territory between two ports both located in another national territory or national territories provided that in the total journey within the national territory there is no trans-shipment.
Inland movement: any movement of goods and/or passengers to and from inland ports connected by water routes which may be made navigable by one or more lock structures.
Inland waterways traffic: Any movement of a vessel on a given navigable inland waterway.
Types of vessels:
Self-propelled barge. Any powered inland waterways freight vessel, other than self-propelled tanker barges.
Barge not self-propelled. Any unpowered inland waterways freight vessel, other than not self-propelled tanker barges. This category includes towed, pushed and pushed-towed barges.
Self-propelled tanker barge. A self-propelled barge intended for the transport of liquids or gases in fixed tanks.
Tanker barge not self-propelled. A barge not self-propelled intended for the transport of liquids or gases in fixed tanks.
Other goods carrying vessel. Any other known or unknown kind of inland waterways freight vessel intended for carrying goods not defined in the previous categories.
Seagoing vessel. A vessel other than those, which navigate predominantly in navigable inland waterways or in waters within, or closely adjacent to, sheltered waters or areas where port regulations apply.
Containers: A freight container means an article of transport equipment:
of a permanent nature and accordingly strong enough to be suitable for repeated use;
specially designed to facilitate the carriage of goods by one or more modes of transport, without intermediate reloading;
fitted with devices permitting its ready handling, particularly its transfer from one mode of transport to another;
so designed as to be easy to fill and empty;
having a length of 20 feet or more.
The size of containers is reported according to four categories:
20 Foot ISO containers (length of 20 feet and width of 8 feet);
40 Foot ISO containers (length of 40 feet and width of 8 feet);
ISO containers over 20 feet and under 40 feet in length;
ISO containers over 40 feet long.
Containers smaller than 20 feet are reported under Category 1.
Containers of unknown size are reported under Category 3.
Inland waterways accidents: specific, identifiable, unexpected, unusual and unintended external event caused by, or in connection with, the operation of an inland waterways vessel resulting in an inland waterways casualty or incident which occurs at a particular time and place, without apparent cause but with marked effect.
By definition suicides are excluded, as they are a deliberate act. Because of their importance, suicide statistics should be collected separately. Terrorist and criminal acts are excluded.
Inland waterways accidents involving the transport of dangerous goods: An inland waterways accident involving a vessel carrying any of the classes of dangerous goods defined by the ADN classification
Inland waterway traffic: any movement of an IWT vessel on a given IWT network.When a vessel is being carried on another vehicle, only the movement of the carrying vehicle (active mode) is taken into account.
Inland waterway journey: any movement of an IW vessel from a specified point of origin to a specified point of destination.
The statistical units for inland waterways transport are the inland waterways undertakings.
This concerns all goods loaded and unloaded on ships entering and leaving ports.
All enterprises/undertakings that carry out inland waterways transport on a national territory over one year, irrespective of their country of origins or place of first loading and final unloading.
VNF manages approximately 80% (6700 km by 8500 km) of the French river network.
The rest of the navigable network is managed for example by:
Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR): concessionaire of the Rhône, downstream of Lyon, from the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône to the lock of Port Saint-Louis.
Autonomous ports: autonomous port of Strasbourg, HAROPA (Havre, Rouen).
Canals de Bretagne (no freight traffic on this part of the network)
Paris canals on sections (312, 313, 314 and 315).VNF collects traffic data either from handlers or a load statement is made. This makes it possible to have total coverage of the freight network.
National territory, excluding Corsica and the overseas departments/regions.
Regulation (EU) N° 2018/974 of the European Parliament and of the Council on statistics of goods transport by inland waterways contains seven datasets:
Table I1: Goods transport by type of goods (annual data);
Table II1: Transport by nationality of vessel and type of vessel (annual data);
Table II2: Vessel traffic (annual data - optional);
Table III1: Container transport by type of goods (annual data);
Table IV1: Transport by nationality of vessels (quarterly data);
Table IV2: Container transport by nationality of vessels (quarterly data);
Table V1: Goods transport (annual data).
In addition to the regulatory data collection:
the Inland Waterways Working Group Meeting held on February 2007 agreed to start the voluntary data collection of two new datasets:
Table A2: Transport of dangerous goods by inland waterways (annual data);
Table A3: Number of inland waterways accidents (annual data).
the Inland Waterways Working Group Meeting held on October 2013 agreed to start the voluntary data collection of two new datasets:
Table A4: Goods transport by port of loading and port of unloading (annual data);
Table A5: Goods transport by type of cargo (annual data).
In 2023, France send all mandatory datasets :
Table I1: Goods transport by type of goods (annual data);
Table II1: Transport by nationality of vessel and type of vessel (annual data);
Table III1: Container transport by type of goods (annual data);
Table IV1: Transport by nationality of vessels (quarterly data);
Table IV2: Container transport by nationality of vessels (quarterly data).
The overall accuracy is considered to be good.
Data is disseminated using the following units of measure:
1000T: Thousands of tonnes;
MIO_TKM: Millions of tonnes/km (the transport of one tonne by inland waterways over one kilometre);
TEU: Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (a unit of volume used in maritime transport statistics equivalent to a 20-foot ISO container );
1000 TEU_KM: Thousands of TEUs/Km (the transport of one twenty-foot equivalent unit over one kilometre );
VES_MOV: Vessel movements (in number);
>VES_KM: Thousands of vessels/Km (the number of movement of an IWT vessel over one kilometre. The distance taken into account is the distance actually run. Movements of unladed vessels are included. In a convoy, each unit is counted as a vessel).
The calculations are conducted in the following way:
At country level:
National transport: addition of all TONNES/TKM/TEU/ TEU-Km reported by the country when the loading country and the unloading country are the same as the reporting country.
International transport: addition of all TONNES/TKM/TEU/ TEU-Km reported by the country when either (1) the loading country is equal to the reporting country and the unloading country is different from the reporting country or (2) the loading country is different from the reporting country and the unloading country is equal to the reporting country.
Transit transport: addition of all TONNES/TKM/TEU/ TEU-Km reported by the country when both the loading country and the unloading country are different from the reporting country.
Total transport: national transport + international transport + transit transport
At EU level:
EU National transport: addition of the national transport data of the reporting EU countries (in 1000T, MIO_TKM, TEU and 1000 TEU-KM);
EU International transport: addition of the international transport of the reporting EU countries (in MIO_TKM and 1000 TEU-KM);
EU Transit transport: addition of the transit transport of the reporting EU countries (in MIO_TKM and 1000 TEU-KM).
EU Total transport:
EU national transport + EU international transport (in 1000T and TEU);
EU national transport + EU international transport + EU transit transport (in MIO_TKM and 1000 TEU-Km).
Data are collected and/or compiled by the competent national authorities, which can be for instance the National Statistical Office or the ministries responsible. Original data sources are normally the inland waterways transport undertakings. In addition, RIS (River Information System) is used as data sources in several countries.
Inland waterways statistics are based on the declarations made by undertakings that are compiled and aggregated at national level and then transmitted to Eurostat in accordance with the structure required in the existing legislation.
For France, data are collected by SDES using VNF information system as a data source:
French Network except Rhine (Skipper. Loading declaration)
Rhine (French Harbour of Rhine, border lock. Files of data)
The Gambsheim lock serves as counting for transit. As the Rhine is an international river, there are no loading declarations on this waterway. VNF therefore retrieves data from the ports of Strasbourg, Mulhouse and Colmar + Gambsheim for transit to get traffic on the Rhine.
Data has to be delivered not later than five months after the end of the reference period.
Geographical comparability, at EU level, is obtained via the application of common concepts and validation rules. The harmonised interpretation of the methodology is enhanced by the organisation of regular meeting of the Working Group, where all participating countries are represented.
The mirror check exercise has highlighted relevant differences on the reported data.
While discrepancies in mirror checks may reveal systemic problems in the recording of the statistics, there could be simpler and more innocent explanations. For example, an Inland Waterways voyage could span two reference periods, leaving the port of loading at the end of a year and arriving at the port of unloading at the beginning of another. This in itself would create a discrepancy.
Another factor is that the port of loading is providing a “prediction” of the port of unloading whereas the port of unloading has full information about the journey. This will create problems when the vessel being carried, such as cereals, is traded in the course of the journey and is diverted away from the predicted port of unloading. A second factor is river conditions, where unusually high or low waters can mean that the voyage cannot be completed as originally planned and the vessel has to be unloaded at an intermediate port. There may also be problems for both the port of loading and unloading in determining the partner port, either because it cannot be identified or it is missing from the Eurostat list. This is complicated if the port names are in a foreign language.
As always, there will be errors and omissions in the reporting of the tonnage of vessel at either the port of loading or port of unloading.
The nationality of the flag of the vessel may not always be clear. There will be additional problems if the ownership of the vessel changes during the course of the voyage. If the change of ownership also leads to a change of flag, this will inevitably create a discrepancy.
There might be a break in time series for certain variables in 2007, due to the different methods of data collection used under the old and the new legislation. In addition, in 2007 there has been a change in the nomenclature applied for the classification of goods that has provoked a break on the time series for the tables showing data by type of goods.
