RIS COMEX is a breath of fresh air for European waterways
Based on the experience and results of its predecessor CoRISMa, the new project called RIS COMEX (River Information Services Corridor Management Execution) is about to continue the pan-European expansion of the proven RIS information service for inland navigation. The kick-off meeting on 17 and 18 January in Berlin reflected the special spirit of the new project, which is all about the future cooperation across many national borders.
Mario Kaufmann, Project Coordinator viadonau and Ivo ten Broeke from the Dutch Rijkswaterstaat and Head of the project management team, presented the innovative approach of RIS COMEX: 15 project partners from 13 countries will introduce jointly defined services on the following corridors: Danube, Rhine, Elbe, Moselle, Amsterdam-Antwerp-Liege, Amsterdam-Antwerp-Brussels and Dunquerke-Scheldt. At the same time, the partner countries will coordinate each other in a targeted way on a European level.
In order to develop a tailor concept for efficient corridor management, the TEN-V project funded by the European Union relies on the intensive exchange between RIS providers and users. The main focus of RIS COMEX is on reliable and current information on fairways, traffic and transport, harmonisation of data exchange, as well as existing transport information services, optimum use of the infrastructure, optimum planning of transport routes and the support of the development of legal, financial and technical agreements.
In Berlin the RIS experts made it clear once again: “Consistently harmonised transnational River Information Services benefit all users of the waterway: increased safety and efficiency of inland waterway transport but also lower administrative barriers. Apart from benefiting the transport industry, efficiency in maritime transport also relieves the environment.”
By promoting improved information on the European waterways RIS COMEX will be a great move towards an efficient and reliable mode of transport in a multimodal setting – powered by RIS – in the next four years to come.