ABSTRACT

The writing of this report is to explore and analyse how inland waterway transport could be developed in Europe. Since the year 2000, the European road network has begun to saturate and the effects of the emissions released by thousands of lorries are at odds with the ecological battle being waged. One of the most realistic and promising projects is the realisation of the Seine-Northern Europe Canal, which would link Belgium to the Parisian conurbation. This will increase the modal share of inland waterway transport in European countries and considerably reduce the flow of lorries on our motorways. At the end of this report, we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of such an infrastructure, and analyse its long-term economic and ecological potential.