Methodology for Determining the Location of River Ports on a Modernized Waterway Based on Non-Cost Criteria: A Case Study of the Odra River Waterway

Bogusz Wiśnicki,Łukasz Kolanda,Justyna Relisko-Rybak,Dorota Dybkowska-Stefek

doi:10.3390/su13063571

Bogusz Wiśnicki, Łukasz Kolanda + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063571

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Mar 23, 2021
Citations: 2	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Maritime University of Szczecin

Abstract

The paper responds to research problems related to the implementation of large-scale investment projects in waterways in Europe. As part of design and construction works, it is necessary to indicate river ports that play a major role within the European transport network as intermodal nodes. This entails a number of challenges, the cardinal one being the optimal selection of port locations, taking into account the new transport, economic, and geopolitical situation that will be brought about by modernized waterways. The aim of the paper was to present an original methodology for determining port locations for modernized waterways based on non-cost criteria, as an extended multicriteria decision-making method (MCDM) and employing GIS (Geographic Information System)-based tools for spatial analysis. The methodology was designed to be applicable to the varying conditions of a river’s hydroengineering structures (free-flowing river, canalized river, and canals) and adjustable to the requirements posed by intermodal supply chains. The method was applied to study the Odra River Waterway, which allowed the formulation of recommendations regarding the application of the method in the case of different river sections at every stage of the research process.

Highlights

Investment projects in waterway infrastructure are typically highly capital-intensive and involve long implementation periods
In Europe, considerable emphasis is placed on incorporating waterways and river ports as constituent parts of the infrastructure of the intermodal Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) [1,2]
It is advisable to plan the construction of new ports or the adaptation of existing ports to new functions, involving the handling of larger vessels and larger cargo streams, as early as the stage of conceptual work. This entails a number of challenges, the cardinal one being the optimal selection of port locations, taking into account the new transport, economic, and geopolitical situation that will be brought about by modernized waterways

Summary

Introduction

Investment projects in waterway infrastructure are typically highly capital-intensive and involve long implementation periods. In Europe, considerable emphasis is placed on incorporating waterways and river ports as constituent parts of the infrastructure of the intermodal Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) [1,2]. This policy is reflected in the presence of rivers in the very names of two of the nine core network corridors: the. The basic problem and economic challenge are how to ensure the required parameters for waterway navigability and safe navigation conditions throughout the year This particular consideration holds true mostly for Central and Eastern European

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