Digital Information Services Needed for a Sustainable Inland Waterway Transportation Business

Abstract

Inland waterway transportation (IWT) is highly efficient in terms of greenhouse gas emissions but lacks economic competitiveness when compared to other modes of transport. Digital information services that foster efficiency and sustainability of IWT are considered important elements for improving its attractiveness and thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions of the transportation sector as a whole. Therefore, this paper addresses the question of what kind of digital information services are actually needed and should be provided, e.g., by port and waterway authorities, to stimulate a modal shift in favour of IWT. Though the concept of river information services (RIS) already provides a harmonised approach to information services in the sector, the current political and scientific discourse still lacks insight into what degree the currently available information services actually meet industry needs. Equally, possibilities to provide practical recommendations are limited. Therefore, this contribution fills this knowledge gap by providing data from the field gathered through a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. After elaborating on the underlying problem as well as the current state of research and practice, we will lay out observed information-relevant challenges to business actors and their respective needs. Based on this, practical recommendations for improvements of digital services and further avenues for research are derived.