CCNR

2025: Navigating uncertainty
The Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) is pleased to present the 2026 edition of its Market Observation Annual Report, prepared once again in close cooperation with the European Commission (EC).
Throughout 2025, the resilience of the inland navigation sector was again put to the test by an increasingly complex economic and geopolitical environment. While global gross domestic product (GDP) growth remained relatively solid, economic conditions in Europe became more fragile, particularly in industrial sectors closely linked to inland waterway transport. Towards the end of the year, escalating tensions in the Middle East and rising crude oil and natural gas prices further increased cost pressures and uncertainty for European industries and transport markets.
Against this backdrop, transport volumes on the Rhine declined overall, with only a limited number of cargo segments recording growth. Cargo transport on the Danube also decreased, while the river cruise sector maintained its positive trajectory. Navigation conditions became more demanding, with both rivers experiencing more low-water days than in 2024. Together, these developments underline the need to continue strengthening the competitiveness and flexibility of inland navigation. This is particularly important given the sector’s vital contribution to Europe’s competitiveness, sustainability and supply chain resilience. Reliable market intelligence is an essential part of that resilience.
 
New insights into market developments
This year’s report not only analyses market developments but also introduces new analytical tools that deepen our understanding of the factors shaping the sector. For example, freight rates have been adjusted to account for rising costs, revealing that operating costs have increased more rapidly than freight rates in recent years. As a result, profit margins have come under pressure, except during periods of low water.
The report also introduces econometric models identifying the key drivers of demand for petroleum products and iron ore transport on the Rhine. By confirming important long-term trends, including the structural decline in petroleum transport linked to the energy transition, these models support better-informed strategic decision-making.
It is essential to understand today’s market developments, but so is recognising our sector’s remarkable capacity to adapt. This broader perspective is reflected in the accompanying foreword by the International Association for the representation of the mutual interests of the inland shipping and the insurance and for keeping the register of inland vessels in Europe (IVR), which places today’s transition in its historical context.
 
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank all contributing partners, including the Danube, Moselle and Sava Commissions, the Corporation Inland Tanker Barge Owners (CITBO), the European Barge Union (EBU), the European Skippers’ Organisation (ESO), Rijkswaterstaat, IVR, Mr Arnulf Hader, Eurostat, Destatis, the national statistical offices, ports and waterway administrations, and the many other stakeholders whose contributions made writing this report possible.
A special word of thanks goes to Ms Frouwke de Vries, Secretary General of IVR, for our valued cooperation over many years and for contributing the accompanying foreword to this edition of the report. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to my colleagues at the CCNR Secretariat, whose dedication and expertise transform complex data into valuable market intelligence.
The CCNR remains committed to supporting an inland waterway transport sector that is resilient, competitive and sustainable. We trust that the 2026 Market Observation Annual Report will continue to serve as a valuable reference for policymakers, industry stakeholders and all professionals engaged in inland navigation.

 
 
Hester Duursema, Secretary General
Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR)

IVR

It is both a pleasure and an honour for me to contribute to the foreword of this year’s Market Observation Annual Report of the CCNR, prepared in close cooperation with the EC. Year after year, this publication has provided valuable insights into the development of the European inland navigation sector, offering policymakers, industry professionals, researchers, and other stakeholders a comprehensive overview of the trends, challenges, and opportunities that shape our sector.
Writing this foreword also provides an opportunity to reflect on the longstanding relationship between the CCNR and IVR. Both our organisations share a history that spans well over a century. IVR was founded in Frankfurt am Main in 1877 and is approaching a remarkable milestone as we prepare to celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2027.
When IVR was re-established in Rotterdam in 1947, it was the CCNR that supported and protected the renewed association. It initially consisted of Dutch, French, Swiss, and Belgian organisations, and acted as its patron under whose auspices the association was able to develop in its early years.
Today, our members come from 13 different European countries and represent every part of the European inland navigation sector and the spirit of international cooperation remains just as important. Our shared history offers a valuable perspective as inland navigation enters into another period of transformation, as reflected in the historical records maintained by IVR.
Since 1879, IVR’s European Ship Register has documented the remarkable evolution of inland navigation, highlighting how innovation has consistently driven the sector’s competitiveness and resilience.
Today, discussions about sustainability and transition sometimes create resistance or uncertainty. But with nearly 82% of the fleet effectively operating as “zero-emission” in 1926, history reminds us that our sector has already successfully undergone enormous transformations. The inland navigation industry has repeatedly proven its resilience, its pragmatism, and its ability to innovate.
The challenges we face today are undoubtedly significant. Global geopolitical developments continue to have direct and immediate consequences for our industry. Trade routes are shifting, economic confidence is under pressure, and logistics chains are becoming increasingly fragile. At the same time, our sector is expected to accelerate its transition towards climate neutrality while maintaining its role as one of the most sustainable modes of freight transport.
Meeting these challenges requires collective responsibility. As we invest in digitalisation and smart infrastructure, we must not overlook the equally urgent need to maintain and modernise Europe’s physical waterway infrastructure. At the same time, I remain convinced that the innovations currently taking place offer an opportunity not only to maintain inland navigation’s position but to strengthen it further. Just as steam propulsion and later motor engines transformed the sector more than a century ago, today’s technological innovations can once again make inland navigation an even more attractive and competitive transport solution.
However, innovation never succeeds in isolation. It requires cooperation across the entire value chain. Only through joint efforts can we create the conditions necessary for a successful and sustainable transition. IVR hopes to contribute to this by bringing together and connecting all the different actors within our sector.
Finally, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Secretary General and the Secretariat of the CCNR for the excellent cooperation that has characterised the relationship between our associations over many decades. I am confident that, building upon our solid foundation, we will continue working together to ensure that the European inland navigation sector remains resilient, innovative, and well-positioned to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

 
 
Frouwke de Vries, Secretary General
IVR