Manifesto for Sustainable Development of the Padano-Veneto Inland Waterway System: a call to action for collaborative innovation

Friday, January 24th, 2025

The Padano-Veneto inland waterway system, which includes the River Po, the Fissero-Tartaro-Canalbianco Canal, the Ferrarese waterway and several ports, has significant potential to contribute to sustainable logistics in Europe. As one of the pilot areas of the Horizon Europe-funded CRISTAL (Climate resilient and environmentally sustainable transport infrastructure, with a focus on inland waterways) project, this system is at the centre of efforts to make inland waterways a reliable, efficient and climate-resilient alternative to road transport.

The recently published Manifesto for the Sustainable Development of the Padano-Veneto Inland Waterway System outlines short and medium term actions to address infrastructure, governance, regulatory and environmental challenges. Developed through a collaborative Living Lab facilitated by CRISTAL, the Manifesto provides practical solutions to unlock the potential of the system.

The Manifesto calls on infrastructure managers, policy makers, industry leaders and researchers to support the transformation of inland waterways into a cornerstone of sustainable, multimodal transport in Europe.

Padano-Veneto Inland Waterway System in a European context

The Padano-Veneto system stretches over 950 km across four highly industrialised Italian regions (Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Lombardy, and Piedmont) connecting inland ports such as Cremona, Mantua, Rovigo, and Chioggia with the northern Adriatic Sea. This system is integrated into the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) as part of the Mediterranean Corridor, linking it to other major corridors such as the Baltic-Adriatic and Rhine-Alpine.

Despite these advantages, inland waterways in Italy remain under-utilised, accounting for only 0.1% of total freight transport – well below the European average of 5.6%. With targeted interventions, the Padano-Veneto system could play a major role in advancing EU objectives for sustainable, multimodal transport and reducing emissions from freight transport.

Challenges and priorities for action

The Manifesto identifies several interrelated challenges facing the Padano-Veneto system. These include fragmented governance, insufficient maintenance and upgrading of infrastructure, regulatory barriers, limited intermodal connectivity, and a lack of skilled personnel. The effects of climate change, such as droughts and floods, further amplify these problems, making it important to integrate climate adaptation and resilience measures into transport planning.

Key priorities for action

Upgrading and maintenance of infrastructure

Addressing bottlenecks, such as low bridge clearances and sediment accumulation, to enable year-round navigability.
Ensuring the functionality of locks and modernising ports to Class V standards to accommodate larger vessels.
Promoting multimodal connections between waterways, rail, and road.

Improved governance and coordination

Establishing regular communication among stakeholders, including public authorities, infrastructure managers, port operators, and industry associations.
Developing a Master Plan for the waterway system to align regional and national transport strategies.
Encouraging the formation of consortia of operators to pool resources and promote joint initiatives.

Policy and regulatory reforms

Revising outdated regulations governing inland navigation to bring them in line with EU standards.
Introducing financial incentives, such as extending the Idrobonus scheme to include maritime vessels operating in inland ports and increasing support for freight and tourism operators.
Implementing the River Information System (RIS) to improve the safety and efficiency of navigation.

Climate resilience and environmental sustainability

Adopting innovative solutions, such as real-time depth monitoring and sediment management, for predictive maintenance, can be seen as an adaptive measure to enhance resilience against climate change impacts.
Promoting the use of sustainable fuels and technologies, including cold ironing facilities for docks, is a climate change mitigation measure.

Workforce development

Modernising professional qualifications for inland navigation personnel to attract new talent and adapt them to current needs.
Addressing staffing shortages in key regulatory bodies, such as the Civil Motor Vehicle Authority, to streamline administrative processes.

The Manifesto’s long-term vision is clear: to establish the Padano-Veneto inland waterway system as a reliable, climate-resilient, and economically competitive transport network, seamlessly integrated with road, rail and maritime transport. This vision is in line with the objectives of the EU Green Deal, supporting decarbonisation while promoting economic growth and social well-being in the region.

Back to overview