National Strategy Plan for Optimization of Waterway Maintenance Hungary Central Directorate for Water and Environment (Vkki)

“NETWORK OF DANUBE WATERWAY ADMINISTRATIONS” South-East European Transnational Cooperation Programme

NATIONAL STRATEGY PLAN FOR OPTIMIZATION OF WATERWAY MAINTENANCE HUNGARY CENTRAL DIRECTORATE FOR WATER AND ENVIRONMENT (VKKI)

Document ID: O4.13 Activity: 4.3 Preparation of national strategy plans for waterway maintenance Author / Project Partner: Date: Version:

András Magyarics/VKKI 04.04.2011 draft András Magyarics/VKKI 04.07.2011 draft András Magyarics/VKKI 30.08.2011 final

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abbreviations 3 A Background information 4 B The subject of the strategy/plan 17 C Objective and goals 18 D Activities 22 E Implementation timeline 26 F Measures and indicators 28 G Monitoring and evaluation 29

Abbreviations

KvVM Ministry of Environment and Water KEHM Ministry of Transport, Energy and Tele- communication VM Ministry of Rural Development NFM Ministry of National Development VKKI Central Directorate for Water and Envi- ronment KÖVIZIG Environmental and Water Directorate VITUKI Institute of Environmental Protection and Water Management RSOE National Association of Radio Distress- Signalling and Infocommunications ÚMFT New Hungary Development Plan KözOP Transport Operational Programme KEOP Environment and Energy Operational Programme ROP Regional Operational Programmes UNECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe DC Danube Commission ICPDR International Commission for the Pro- tection of Danube River ERDF European Regional Development Fund OVH National Water Management Office NAVINFO Dispatcher Emergency and Information Center DISR Danube Information and Emergency Call System INBO International Network for Basin Organi- sations

A. Background information

1. NEWADA and WP4 info The Danube is part of the European Transport Corridor VII. The NEWADA project aims at increasing the efficiency of this corridor by intensifying cooperation among waterway administrations. In order to meet this objective, four sub objectives WP3 – WP4 – WP5 - WP6 were defined.

Within WP4 the physical accessibility of the waterway infrastructure – especially the navigation conditions in the frame of standards and RIS Directive - be improved. Natio- nal action plans for improving waterway maintenance and river engineering as well as hydrographical and hydrological tasks be worked out.

River engineering is the process of planned human intervention in the course, characteristics or flow of a river with the intention of producing some defined benefit. Several bottlenecks along the European Transport Corridor VII are core hindrances for navigation. Similarities among these bottlenecks shall be identified to implement common solutions for their removal. Another essential item for a waterway administration is the maintenance of the waterway.

Infrastructure is a fundamental element of the inland navigation system. The national status quo report (WP4 – Act.4.1) contains information about hydrology, survey, fairway axis, limits and gauge, floating and coastal signalization, signalization for high and low level, dredging works, maintenance works and hydro-technical construction, fairway information, ENC, tracking and tracing, exchange of know-how and planning for lock maintenance and repair. It contents also action plan for cross border projects like joint marking system (inland navigation traffic signs), responsibility on the fairway, waterway maintenance in the ice, lowest and highest period, common sector – waterway maintenance, etc.

All PP have to prepare the national strategy plan (NSP) for their country which contain information about marking system, about common sector with other country (like Slova- kia-Hungary), bottlenecks, survey etc. The national strategy plan shall contain the information how each country sees itself for the next period the waterway maintenance, survey, signalisation, etc.

Within activity WP4.3 a national strategy plan based on outcomes of activities WP4.1 & WP4.2 be prepared. This strategy plan contains relevant measures to be taken within the next years.

2. IWW information a. General overview of the national Danube stretch In Hungary Danube (Hungarian: Duna) is the main river with total length of 2850 km from Black sea to Germany. The Hungarian section is from rkm 1850 to rkm 1433 (417

kms), the first 142 kms long stretch (from rkm 1850 – to rkm 1708) is shared with Slova- kia on the left bank. Within this upper river characteristic sector the navigable stretch (waterway) is 378 kms long: from rkm 1433 – to rkm 1811.

The 417 kms long Hungarian stretch of Danube is found in the Middle Basin, which is the largest of the three sub-regions of the river - extending from Bratislava to the dams of the Iron Gate Gorge on the border between Serbia and Romania.

Downstream of the fault gap through the Alps-Carpathians at Bratislava the Danube flows through the Kisalföld - the Little Danube Plain. The Hungarian Mid-Mountains are flanked on both sides by highlands and alluvial forests, into which the Danube enters downstream of Komarno (~rkm 1770). Between the Börzsöny and Pilis Mountain a second breach follows through the secondary transverse connection between the Alps and Carpathians in a deeply cut valley - the Visegrád Gate (rkm 1718 - rkm 1695).

At Vác (rkm 1680) the Danube is forced into a sharp bend towards the south. In the region of Budapest these highlands fade on the other side of the Hungarian Mid- Mountains. All rivers flowing into the Pannonian Basin develop an alluvial cone on their margin, where the majority of sediments is deposited. The Danube has formed with the Váh river a common spindle-shaped alluvial cone, stretching from Bratislava to Komárno. The sediments, carried from the Carpathians, have pushed it somewhat southwards.

On the alluvial cone the Danube is separated into three branches. The Little Danube branches north, and after about 100 km joins the main river again at Komárno. The Mosoni Danube, branching south and then, after about 60 km joins the main course again at Gönyü (rkm 1791). The islands, embraced by the three Danube branches, are called the Large Danube Island — Zitny ostrov (in the north) and the Little Danube Is- land - Szigetköz (in the south). The Little Danube Island is covered with extensive alluvial plains and forests and the remnants of cut-off river branches, since the original main branch was strongly ramified.

The morphological changes in this part of the Danube are evident in the longitudinal profile. The large alluvial track downstream of Bratislava shows a trend to form a convex (i. e. an upward curved shaped), as is usual in case of alluvial cones The morphological transition from an Alpine to a lowland river can be seen here, though the Alpine runoff character is still preserved further downstream. Again considerable sediment volumes are deposited, causing ramification of the stream and evolution of large islands: Szen- tendre and Csepel. The average river width increases from Gönyü (about 300 m) to about 400 m downstream.

South of Budapest the Danube enters the Alföld - the Large Hungarian Plain, and follows a 600 km long arc on its western, and then southern margin. The longer spur of this wide plain projects onto the right bank of the river in the area between Mohács and the mouth of the Drava. There the river bed is again braided.

The morphological character of the now flatland river increases after it enters the Main Pannonian Basin. The slope decreases from Budapest to the mouth of the Drava from 0.07 ‰ to 0.05‰ and continues to decrease down to the Danube fault gap to 0.04‰. The mean width increases from 400 m to 800 m -1.000 m according to the runoff rate and lower slope before the cataract reach.

On the 378 kms long navigable Hungarian section of Danube (Szap-Southern state border), which is a dominant part of the DMR trans-continental waterway, no any locks except in the largest (57 kms long) branch, named RSD Ráckevei (Soroksári) Dunaág.

The upper lock was built on the territory of the capital, Budapest and the under lock near the Tass.

The Danube River runs through the country on 417 km from which the first 142 km are common with Slovakia on its left bank. As the transport route No. VII in the EU, the Da- nube represents a major waterway. Within the whole Hungarian stretch a 378 kms long section is a very important international waterway.

Based on the Belgrade Convention (1948), a well-founded parameter-system corre- sponding to unified principles was worked out and actualized from time-to-time for the waterway (the so-called ―DC-recommendations‖), which were accepted by every concerned country, and they committed themselves to take the given parameters as basis for developing the Danube waterway. At present the Governmental Decree 151/2000 (IX.14.), as well as the KöViM Decree 17⁄2002. (III.7.) on proclaiming the EU convention on the Hungarian section of the Danube and on the international waterways regulate this commitment.

The essence of the DC recommendation is that the dimensions of the waterway must be ensured compared to a low-water navigation, the so-called ―DC low-water level‖. This low-water level is calculated from the ice-free water discharges of the preceding 30 years, and it corresponds to the water level of water discharges with 94% durability.

The classification of the Hungarian waterways is contained in the enclosure of the Gov- ernmental decree already referred to, according to which the relating parameters for the section of the Danube between rkm 1811 and 1641 (Szap-Budapest) is VI/B, while for the section between rkm 1641 and 1433 (Budapest-Southern state border) is VI/C waterway. With that classification the Hungarian section of the Danube – together with the parameters belonging to it – totally fits into the DMR waterway system.

The waterway class VI/B (concerning vessel sizes) means, that the continuous, two- way, day and night traffic of convoys consisting of four coupled Europe III barges (total capacity 4 000 – 4 500 tons) should be ensured. That four-barges convoy is 185 m long and 23 m wide.

The waterway class VI/C should ensure the traffic of six-barge (2x3 or 3x2 barges; total capacity 4 000 – 6 200 tons) convoys (275 m long, max. width 34 m). The two-way 24 hours traffic (eliminating the limitation ―passing and overtaking prohibited―) requires a fairway width of 120-180 m, a minimal bend radius of 1000 m and the defined air- draught.

It derives from the above that the waterways of the Danube must meet both criteria. In its present status the Hungarian section of the Danube does not meet the criteria outlined before, there are limitations in depth and/or width at over 50 locations, and they represent a significant limitation of the utilization of the waterway. The primary aim is to eliminate these shallow fords and bottlenecks, so that they do not cause any obstacles

to navigation. The supporting study demonstrates these development recommendations. This target is in full conformity with the already mentioned transport policy of EU (White Paper), with the EU development targets, according to which the Danube should serve as European transport corridor VII as a part of TEN (Trans-European Transport Network), for the regulation and development questions of which the decisions of the Community will govern.

b. Current status (infrastructure of waterway)

Proposal for the elimination of shallow fords and bottlenecks hindering the navigation, in accordance with the DC recommendation and the UN-ECE regulations, that is to secure waterway VI/B on the section of the Danube between rkm 1811 and 1641, and VI/C between rkm 1641 and 1433. In its present status the Hungarian section of the Danube does not meet the criteria outlined before, there are limitations in depth and/or width at over 50 locations, and they represent a significant limitation of the utilization of the waterway. The primary aim is to eliminate these shallow fords and bottlenecks, so that they do not cause any obstacles to navigation.

The determination of the obstacles to navigation (as well as the shallow fords and bottlenecks) has made in a frame of a comprehensive feasibility study, between 2005– 2007. (―Improvement of the navigability of the Danube‖) In the sector of Szap - Southern state border (from rkm 1811 to rkm 1433) 51 obstacles to navigation (shallow fords and bottlenecks) has been identified. Improvement of these places (points, sectors) is planned until 2013. Nowadays there is an ongoing planning work for the necessary permissions.

3. Legal framework a. international i. EU Strategy for the Danube Region

Hungarian priorities within the EU Strategy for the Danube Region are:

• protection of natural values • creating of power supply’s safety • improvement of safety of social and economy • improvement of the Danube-region transport • sustainable development of turism • improvement of condition of industry • protection of value and heritage • cultural cooperation • education and training cooperation • cooperation and partnership

ii. AGN The European Council and The European Parliament adopted the guidelines of the TEN (Trans-European Networks) in 1996 in three major fields of infrastructure: transport (TEN-T), telecommunication (including informatics) and energetics. Its aim is to estab- lish an integrated land, inland water and air based transport infrastructure network within the area of the Community. Within this infrastructural network the DMR (Danube- Main-Rhine) channel has a key role and the river Danube especially, which carries the number VII. from the 10 major corridors. The ―European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of International Importance‖ (shortly AGN agreement) has been adopted in 1996 in Genoa and entered into force in 1999. Its aim is to unify the planning and functional parameters regarded to the construction, development and reconstruction of international waterways.

iii. Danube Commission The Danube Commission is an international intergovernmental organization, set up by the Convention regarding the regime of navigation on the Danube signed in Belgrade on 18 August 1948.

The primary tasks of the Danube Commission activity are provision and development of free navigation on the Danube for the commercial vessels flying the flag of all states in accordance with interests and sovereign rights of the member-states of the Belgrade Convention, as well as strengthening and development of economical and cultural relations of the said states among themselves and with the other countries.

The member-states of the Danube Commission are Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ger- many, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine. Since 1954 the Commission has its seat at Budapest. The Commission actively cooperates with the relevant international bodies, involved in different inland waterways transport aspects, such as United Nations Economic Com- mission for Europe, European Commission, Central Commission for the Navigation on Rhine, Sava Commission, International Commission for the Protection of Danube River (ICPDR) etc.

With the aim of enhancing the role of the Danube Commission in the international cooperation in the field of inland navigation, the member-states of the Belgrade Convention intend to modernize Commission, by vesting additional powers in it and new functions, as well as to enlarge the circle of its members. It will become feasible when the ongoing process of the revision of the Convention will come to end. Presently France, Turkey and European Community declare determination to become the members of the mod- ernized Danube Commission. Hungary has close connection with DC itself and within it with its different permanent and temporary expert groups.

iv. Bilateral agreements

Hungary has seven neighbouring countries: Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Ser- bia, Croatia, Slovenia. Six of them are also ―Danubean‖ countries as well as Hungary.

On the state boundary stretches of water and other waters and channels, or on the stretches where the state frontier crosses them, the water management activity is ef- fected on the basis of agreements on transboundary waters. Hungary has bilateral cooperation agreements (Water Management Agreements) with all neighbouring countries.

The Hungarian Danube reach is 417 km long, forming the border with Slovakia for 142 km. The part of the river between Szap – Szob (rkm 1811 and 1708) is the common navigable Danube sector shared with Slovakia.

In the south part of the country the Danube crosses the Hungarian – Serbian border and flows as a border river between Republic of Serbia and Croatia. So, in this part Hun- gary has not common Danube stretch with neither of these southern neighbouring countries, nevertheless between Dunaföldvár (HU - rkm 1560) and Vukovar (CRO- rkm 1350, right bank) is a stretch for common interest for the three countries. There is an existing trilateral cooperation within the water management (e.g. protection against the ice jamming).

In addition to the Danube, two tributaries located partly in Hungary are also navigable, or were adapted for navigation:

- the Dráva up to Cadanca (105 km) The lower courses of the Mur and Drava form a large part of the border between Croatia and Hungary. - the Tisza up to Dombrád, its tributary the Bodrog up to the Hungarian - Slovak border.

The bilateral Agreements are in line with the valid international regulations, among others with:  the Belgrade convention of 18.08.1948 regarding the Regime of Navigation on the Danube,  the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes signed on 17.03.1992 in Helsinki,  the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents signed on 17.03.1992 in Helsinki,  the regulations of the Sofia Convention on Cooperation for the Protection and Sustainable Use of the Danube River signed on 29.06.1994,  the regulations of the European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of Inter- national Importance signed in Geneva on 19.01.1996. The Agreements are different in force (e.g. Republic of Serbia - former Yugoslavia - since 1955). The renewal of the Agreements - depending to the international decrees, agreements, directives - is in progress it is implemented step by step.

New agreement with: Romania, Croatia, Slovenia. Under construction with: Ukraine, Slovakia, Republic of Serbia. Thinking about renewal with: Austria.

The official exchange of various data between Hungary and its neighbouring countries happens via the joint cross border water management bodies (Committee – sub- committees – permanent and temporary expert groups - ad-hoc expert groups - permanent or ad-hoc measurement groups).

Renewal of the agreements - depending to the new international decrees, agreements, directives - including the main topics of the waterways maintenance - is in progress. It is implemented step by step.

Beyond the bilateral agreements Hungary has numerous of multilateral connections with international organizations such as  United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE),  Danube Commission (DC),  International Commission for the Protection of Danube River (ICPDR),  ―Tisza Forum‖ (cooperation among Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Re- public of Serbia) etc.

b. National i. Transport strategy The European Commission published its general transport policy strategy (White Paper) in 2001, the ―European transport policy for 2010: time to decide‖. The interpretation of sustainable development regarding transport is given a decisive weight therein, according to which the co-financing of the community should be transformed in a way that it gives priority to transport by rail, sea and inland waterway transport. The White Paper gives details about the advantages of water transport, as well as the utilization of the opportunities involved in the Danube/Main/Rhine (DMR) waterway system. It ascertains that this network was originally used by six member states that carry out 9 % of their flow of goods within the framework of inland waterway transport. Together with the new member states the number of countries using the waterway system has grown to 12, and the volume of the transported goods is nearly as much as yearly 25 million tons.

From national point of view the importance of improving the navigability on the Danube is further increased by the fact that the country has no access to the sea or ports, therefore Hungary is able to deliver the domestic products onto the world market only by road or rail transport, representing multiple transport costs. At present the length of waterways projected on the territory of the country represents an average within the EU, however the utilization of the network, as well as its quality characteristics are signifi- cantly worse.

ii. Master plans (general and IWW)

The main general master plans including the IWW relation issues are:

 Regional Development Concept (2005)  Danube Complex Programme (2005)  Improvement of the navigability of the Danube (2007)  River Basin Management Plan (Hungary – 2009)

In the Regional Development Concept of Hungary drawn up in 2005 there are three water-related areas in the section titled „Integrated development regions and subject areas of national importance‖: the region of Lake Balaton, the region of Tisza and the region along the Danube. The main development aims of the Danube Region are as follows: – as part of the Trans-European Transport Corridor VII, to ensure a waterway meeting the EU requirements and to create environment-friendly modes of transport and sustainable transport and logistics systems improving the relations among the regions along the Danube; – launching regional development and land management programmes complying with the landscape, to ensure the functionality of the regional system identified by

the Danube and to create the conditions of sustainable socio-economic development complying with ecologic criteria; – based on the principles of sustainability, to utilize the natural and cultural resources offered by the Danube and its surroundings, with the coordination of agricultural, fishing, silvicultural, game management, eco-tourism and infrastructure developments; – to carry out the rehabilitation of the whole Hungarian section of the Danube and the connecting branches, in compliance with the Water Framework Directive, to ensure the living connection between the main branch and the other arms of the Danube River, to sustain, protect and improve the aquatic environment; – to protect and keep the natural areas, lands, natural and cultural values and Natura 2000 areas of the regions along the Danube, to ensure that the statuses approaching the self-regulating function of the nature are achieved and to maintain biodiversity; – to prevent and eliminate water pollution and water damages; – to build and reinforce flood-prevention and water supply management systems and to coordinate them with ecological purposes and tasks concerning navigability; – to draw up the national concept for the arrangement of the Danube based on the provisions about the arrangement of the Danube included in the concept of development of the Trans-European Network made by the EU. By 2008-2009, to make the reservoir plans based on the cooperation of the danubean states; – to improve the Danube Information and Accident Emergency Warning System (abbreviated as DISR in Hungarian). The Concept of Development Policy of Hungary drawn up in 2005 set the basic targets of social and economic development up to 2020. On presenting the fields of integrated development, the document summarizes the related sections of the Regional Development Concept of Hungary. Therefore, we do not intend to present it herein. Between 2007 and 2013, Hungary will be granted with 22.4 billion Euros. The priorities of the appropriation of this sum are included in the New Hungary Development Plan (abbreviated as ÚMFT in Hungarian). This plan designates the most important piece of development work which ensures the improvement of our social, economic and environmental statuses in a sustainable way and the development programmes which conform to the expectations and changes of the society and the economy for the purposes of effectiveness. Out of the operational programmes of the ÚMFT, the following ones are related to the development of waterways: Transport Operational Programme (KözOP), Environment and Energy Operational Programme (KEOP) and the Regional Operational Programmes (ROP).

Out of the six axles of priority of the KözOP, within the framework of the second one „Improving the international railway and waterway accessibility of the country and the regional centres‖) there are 71 million Euros available specifically for improving waterways but the fourth priority („Linking up the modes of transport and improving the intermodality and the transport infrastructure of economic centres‖) is also concerned. The ÚMFT is outlining the following problems connected with waterways: „The most important element of the navigability requirements of the Danube (fairway VI/B) is that the clear and durably reliable transport conditions must be ensured for 2.5- metre-draught vessels of a load capacity of 1,300 to 1,600 tons, standard in European international navigation, along the entire length of the Rotterdam-Constanta trans- European (DMR) waterway, more specifically, along the entire Hungarian Danube section. Meeting that requirement is a fundamental condition of profitable and competitive shipping services. The Hungarian-Slovak and the Hungarian sections of the Danube do not meet that requirement. Depending on the fluctuations of water depth, a flotation restriction is in effect during half to two-thirds of the year. The navigation safety information system is in need of development. In Hungary, the density of harbours built up to the required standard and capable of continuous operation is about one-third of the EU average. In terms of the services they offer, however, even the existing harbours are (as a whole) below the EU average. Due to the abovementioned facts, waterborne transport is burdened by pre-deliveries, dockside deliveries, several transfers and considerable surplus delivery time on most shipping routes. This is disadvantageous for customers and water carriers alike, and substantially impairs the competitiveness of river transport.‖ The situation of intermodal logistics centres in Hungary is as follows: „Of the intermodal logistics centres (or, based on the definition in the concept adopted in 1998, logistics centres of national importance), the Csepel, the Győr-Gönyü and Baja centres and the Debrecen LSC are trimodal (road-rail-water and road-rail-air), whereas the rest are bimodal (road - railway). The financially most prosperous national logistics centres operate in Budapest (Budapest Intermodal Logistics Centre – BILK, Csepel Free Port) and in the Debrecen, Székesfehérvár and Sopron regions. Development has started in the other centres marked out: new facilities have been put into service at Győr-Gönyü and high-volume projects have been started in Szeged and in Szolnok. There appears to be less demand for the moment in Nagykanizsa and Miskolc, just as in Baja, which is equipped suitably to become an agricultural centre. The waterway-related directives of the Unified Transport Development Strategy are as follows: „With TEN-T support, the government has elaborated a plan to improve the navigation and ecological conditions of the Danube. The National Environment Protection Council sets several conditions for the implementation of the plan, among others , they initiated that the Government should take actions to ensure that the investment, environmental and maintenance costs of the planned investments are financed from EU funds in proportion of the use, and the analysis of whether it is possible to determine conditions

which can be ensured more easily, at lower cost and with less intervention in certain sections of the river (e.g. ensuring a waterway with smaller width). Based on the recommendation of the National Environment Protection Council, no large project is planned to ensure the navigability of the Danube until 2010, however, we intend to support the harbour developments aiming at the implementation of intermodality. Based on the abovementioned facts, in course of the development of water transport, the harbour developments in new locations have to be preceded by making the Danube navigable (unrestricted transport of vessels with no more than 2.5 m load line in at least 300 months of the year). In harbour developments, the government has a role mainly in ensuring appropriate accessibility by railway and road, implementing harbour infrastructure of intermodal centres (riverbank walls, basins) and in ensuring waterways.‖ Out of the priorities of KEOP, the first two refer to multifunctional water use:

1. Healthy, clean settlements 2. Proper treatment of our living waters - Formation of good flood protection practices, - Complex river catchment development, - River basin management plans

There is an indirect link between the development of the waterway and the ―Danube Complex Program‖, providing a frame for the implementation of the rural development, infrastructural, and ecotouristic developments of the areas alongside the Danube, for the preservation of its natural areas and landscapes, the Natura 2000 sites, and – last but not least – for the rehabilitation of the river and its side arms.

iii. Laws The legislation background is the following:

Acts:

 Act. 1995. LVII. on Water Management  Act. 1995. LIII. on Environmental Protection  Act. 1996. LIII. on Nature Conversation  Act. 2000. XLII. on Water Transport

Governmental decrees:

 Gov. Decree 151/2000. on inland waterways with international importance  Gov. Decree 347/2006. on Environmental, Nature Conversation and Water Man- agement authorities and management duties of VKKI and the territorial directorates

 Gov. Decree 219/2007. on River Information Services

Ministerial decrees:

 KöViM Decree 17/2002. on classification of waterways for navigation  GKM Decree 27/2002. on marking of the waterways  KvVM Decree 31/2004.(30.12) on the observation of the characteristic of the sur- face waters

c. Relevant institutions and authorities

The relevant governmental institutions in the field of the waterway administration are:

Ministry for Rural Development (in the past: Ministry of Water and Environment) Central Directorate for Water and Environment (VKKI) Territorial Environmental and Water Directorates (12 places – 12 headquarters)

There are numerous of legal relation of the waterway administration to other official national bodies dealing with the waterway Danube:

 Ministry of National Development  National Navigation Authority  National Transport Authority  National Inspectorate for Environment, Nature and Water  Environmental Water and Nature Authorities („Green Authorities)  Water Police(s)

Especially among Danube River are three responsible water directorates, as follows:

 North Trans-danubean Environmental and Water Directorate (ÉDU KÖVIZIG - headquarters: Győr) rkm 1850 and 1708 (142 kms) From western state border to estuary of Ipoly River. Fairway stretch is between rkm 1811 and 1708.  Middle Danube Valley Environmental and Water Directorate (KDV KÖVIZIG - headquarters: Budapest) rkm 1708 and 1560 (148 kms) From estuary of Ipoly River to (bridge of) Dunaföldvár  Lower Danube Valley Environmental and Water Directorate (ADU KÖVIZIG - headquarters: Baja) rkm 1560 and 1433 (127 kms). From (bridge of) Dunaföldvár to southern state border.

However, the participants of this administrative structure have a lot of other tasks but this description includes only ones, which are connected to the waterway administration.

Main responsibilities/tasks of the waterway administration are: carry out river engineering, river bed regulation, shoreline regulation, water-level regulation, checking of pipe-

line crossing, maintenance and operate of the fairways, making of the marking plans, floating and coastal marking, carry out river mapping/waterways charting - cooperation with the relevant local navigational authorities. They carry out the survey, collection, store, forwarding of data as well as of the river bed, shoreline and fairways.

B. The subject of the strategy/plan

1. Waterway maintenance activities – current status

With respect to water management – waterways, water transport, measures planned to achieve the aims are as follows:

 In the field of ecology, water management and regional development, to evaluate the protection and development of the Danube River in co-ordination, to work out a strategy viewing the international efforts, with respect to environment- and cost- effectiveness, to inspect the improvement of navigability considering the protection and improvement of the conditions of ecosystems along the river (NATURA 2000 territories) as well as the EU commitment aiming at ―good‖ conditions as per the WFD.

 To keep improving the Hungarian river information services (PannonRIS) (e.g. to increase the safety of water transport, to make official inspection available, to build the monitoring system).

 To support the development of ports (e.g. to build a combined terminal and logistics centre at Győr- Gönyű National Public Traffic Harbour in order that river transport of goods may be helped and to finish construction work of the port at Mohács and – as an EU commitment – the service port at Baja.

 To create the system of conditions of the government guarantee required for the acquisition of modern environment-friendly and energy-saving self-propelled ships, as well as to provide resources that could be competed for.

In Hungary between the Szap – Szob (rkm 1811 and 1708) is the common navigable Danube sector shared with Slovakia. The cases/problems connecting with this common sector are handled generally through the Hungarian - Slovak Water Management Committee within the activity of Danube Subcommittee. The implementation of the waterway maintenance happens in close connection between the ÉDU KÖVIZIG (North Transdanubean Environmental and Water Directorate - headquarters: Győr, Hungary) and SVP OZ Povodie Dunaja závod Dunaj (headquarters: Bratislava, Slovakia). This 103 kms long Danube stretch is devided into two sections from point of view the waterway marking and maintenance. These are

 Szap - Gönyű from rkm 1811 - 1791 and  Gönyű – Szob from rkm 1791 – 1708.

The handling of the bank navigation marks happen by itself in both of the sides: on the right bank of the Danube by the Hungarian side and on the left bank by the Slovak side. The handling - maintenance, improvement, change - of the floating marks happens by a rotation method. Both of the two sides are responsible for the handling of the floating navigation mark in one of the above mentioned section for two years. After that two year long period the sides change the sections. There is a direct, intensive, daily communication and change of information and collected data between the two sides.

In Hungary there are numerous of sectors of the Danube where it is not possible to permanently maintain the navigable depth due to morphological conditions. Since desirable conditions for navigation can be achieved by means of the construction of im- pounding reservoirs, river transport is also one of the main reasons for the construction of river power project.

Within the terms of reference of this commission all common problems concerning navigation water management, water resources development and water engineering works are dealt with. Thus, for example, recommendations for measurements performed on the waterway (navigable depth, width, curvature, slope, measurement of lock gates, discharge capacity, etc.) for the whole navigation route from Regensburg to the Black Sea (including the Hungarian Danube stretch) have been worked out.

The study for the improvement of the navigability of the Danube (was made 2005 – 2007) contains only conventional river training solutions (regulation works and riverbed dredging). The results of the current study will be utilized in the next project – also funded in the TEN-T programme – including the planning activities necessary to start the physical development of the fairway.

Construction and maintenance e.g.:

 Low-water regulation by hydraulic structures (e.g. groynes)  Dredging and refilling of material

In Hungary commercial dredging is not allowed anymore – only for the aim of river regulation.

C. Objective and goals

1. Elaborate long term objective When applying for Danube Commission financial aid for the project the Hungarian Min- istry of Economy and Transport (nowadays Ministry of National Development) had the main objective to professionally elaborate the proposal how to ensure the reliable 2,5

metres depths on the Hungarian section of the Danube alongside with the goal to carry out studies on transports, hydraulic and regulatory aspects.

Project goals were in compliance with the provisions of Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (i.e. economically, socially and environmentally sustainable water policy in the European Union). To fulfil these objectives the successful bidder in the public procurement procedure carried out in 2005 was commissioned to elaborate the relevant studies according to eight predefined issues:

 Analysis of riverbed status, waterway signalling.  Improvement of the riverbed status, complex river regulation – potential alterna- tives for the implementation without damming.  Alignment of regulation to other demands and utilization – identifying measures for the frame of the complex river management.  Drinking water resource, shore filtrated fountains – protection of water bases.  Ice reduction.  Waterway signalling, dissemination.  Protection of environmental elements on the shore, ecological rehabilitation, rec- reation and tourism related to the waterway.

2. Elaborate mid and short term goals b. Waterway The determination of the obstacles to navigation (as well as the shallow fords and bottlenecks) has made in a frame of a comprehensive feasibility study, between 2005– 2007. (―Improvement of the navigability of the Danube‖) In the sector of Szap - Southern state border (from rkm 1811 to rkm 1433) 51 obstacles to navigation (shallow fords and bottlenecks) has been identified. Improvement of these places (points, sectors) is planned until 2013. Nowadays there is an ongoing planning work for the necessary permissions.

Therefore some developments were also elaborated in the study, by that the future operation costs can be decreased. These are the following:

 Modernisation of signs that provide safe navigation on the waterway,  Purchase of reliable light signals of low energy consumption, creating the possibility of the power supply on the riverbank,  Operation of faster marking vessels with lower fuel consumption.

This job is executed by the marking service of the Environmental and Water Director- ates in Szap – Szob (from rkm 1811 to rkm 1708), Szob – Dunaföldvár (from rkm 1708 to rkm 1560), Dunaföldvár – soutern border (from rkm 1560 to rkm 1433) sections. Dur-

ing the continuously marking activity happens the supplement of the missing floating marks (beacons, buoys etc.)

For this activity there are marking vessels for three sectors. Material of the buoys is steel with chain anchorage. During the improvement of the facilities some modern version will be planned (plastic material, application of solar cell, resistant form and anchorage procedure etc. There is an existing planning of a fast marking vessel for the supplement of the missing floating marks almost immediately.

c. Administration In the past (in the previous years) the Hungarian governments in power organised different structures for the completion of the state’s tasks in the field of the waterways administration. The different governments continuously modified the structure/network including the waterways administration. The basis of the current nation-wide water management system has organized in the middle of the 60’s. In 1955 a central governmental body (called National Water Man- agement Office – ―OVH‖) and 12 territorial water management directorates were estab- lished. In these years a two-level system operated - it was not ministerial-level representation in the water management but the OVH was a very strong organization with wide decision making, ordering authority. Since 1990 we have a three-level system: the water management has got any higher state representation in one of the ministries – mixed with some other tasks: transport, environment, telecommunication etc. (Nowadays the water management issues are organized within the tasks of Ministry of Rural Development.) In these years (about till 2004) the solution of the tasks of the development, operation and maintenance of the waterways was strongly centralized. The initiation of the implementation of the activities was one of the tasks of the ministries and the mid-level ministerial bodies - OVH and the following organizations situated in the same decision-maker position - through the work of its employees. The most important steps of the development, operation, maintenance of the waterways/fairways were implemented by central orders from the central institutions so the territorial branches were merely the executive bodies without serious decisional rights.

The splitting and transformation of the tasks and roles between the central and territorial organizations in the field of the water management sector began in 2004 (Hungary has attached itself to EU in this year) and more and less went on to 2006.

Despite the system of the administrative structure’s network not transformed basically it has been a significant change in the field of the decision making among the different level of the structure. The role of the members of the water (and environment as well) management’s structure has modified. The territorial bodies all around the country know best the local problems, the local situations being close connection with the local stakeholders, users of

the waterways who have been involved into the common thinking about the implementation of the most important goals in the local water management including especially the development, operation and maintenance of the waterways/fairways. The initiations are coming from the territorial/local level so in the process of the implementation of an idea (idea – proposal – decision – confirmation – planning - execution – evaluation - control) participates the relevant territorial water management directorate with its expertise. The higher central bodies have got (important) role in some parts of this process as well (e.g. evaluation and control) but their main role has been modified in the last some years. The relevant ministry (nowadays the Ministry of Rural Develop- ment – the highest level of the water management network) and Central Directorate for Water and Environment (VKKI - the mid-level body of the water management network) are working shared nation-wide responsibility in their profession. It means they coordinate, supervise and control all activities - including the related ones to the waterways - of the local directorates all around the country. The ministry practices mostly the theo- retical and VKKI the operational part of these roles. They harmonise the local planning with the national development one in the different places of the water (and environment) management activities, to explore the possible international (funding of EU, Norwegian, Flanders, Swiss etc.) and national financial sources tracing its efficiently use, to concentrate all the form of the necessary source (human, financial) for the interest of the best outcomes.

We have lessons learnt about the recent, active waterway administration’s network. Some of them are the following:  There are generally good opinions about the decentralized network.  There are positive experience about the shared responsibility between the navigation (freight and passenger transport) and waterway operation/maintenance. (Within the governmental structure the transport sector is responsible for the first one and the water management sector is responsible for the second one.)  The changes of the government (2006, 2010) and the ministerial structure during the 4 year long governance period did not caused any disruption.  There are more decisional levels – but less responsible, professional people.  Less and less involved people are in the all administrative organisations all around the country – in all structural levels.

d. Customer In the territorial level all of directorates have a department within its organizational chart which permanently deals the officially and public notifications in the field of the environment and water management - like a costumer service – during the working hours and without its (weekends, holidays, breaking times). They forward the picked up information towards the responsible organization, department or person, expert for suitable measure. Its are not a special duty only for problems of the navigation and waterway/fairway operation but of course they always deal all of the received notifications, requests, questions, coming from the IWW sector. They are close on-line connection

with the territorial, local authorities, responsible bodies (―green authorities‖, municipalities, disaster defense units etc.) in their operational area.

They are also in close on-line connection as well as the Central Environment Security Duty - ESD (Környezetbiztonsági Ügyelet) – they have to forward the new information in every case towards it. Environment Security Duty operates on the basis (and at the headquarters) of VKKI – the activity of it is supervised by VKKI, too. It is be in action continuously - 24/24 hours a day; 365/365 days a year. It has nationwide power – like the VKKI - it hands all of related problems all around the country including the Danube Valley area. It is in connection – beyond the above mentioned territorial duties - with the other central authorities, responsible bodies (e.g. National Inspectorate for Environment, Nature and Water, National Directorate General for Disaster Management, water police). ESD has a cooperation agreement with National Association of Radio Distress- signalling and Infocommunications (Hungarian abbreviation is RSOE) – through the ―NAVINFO‖ for collection/reception and change of information about the waterways/navigation related notifications, requests, questions. NAVINFO - as an unit of RSOE - is a Central Dispatcher Service and Information Centre. RSOE pays attention on channel 16 at the complete reach of the Danube besides broadcasting water-level and shallow-information daily in work channel 22. This channel can be used also for asking for shipping information at any time except for the period of water-level broad- cast. Also the work channel is suited for being used in the whole Hungarian stretch. The supply is ensured by the dispatcher of the RSOE in 24 hours a day.

D. Activities

1. Funding issues a. National funding

Available national funding sources are:

 Hungarian State budget  ―KEOP‖ - Environment and Energy Operational Programme  ―ROP‖ - Regional Operational Programmes  „KözOP‖ - Transport Operational Programme  PPP - Public Private Partnership - by private investors  Private budget - infrastructure, ports etc.  Regional sources - infrastructure, ports etc.  Local sources - infrastructure, ports etc.

b. International funding

Available international grants and funds are:

 European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)  Norwegian Fund  Swiss Fund  Flemish Fund

2. Communication with users There is a before mentioned organization named National Association of Radio Dis- tress-signalling and Infocommunications (Hungarian abbreviation is RSOE). This Asso- ciation is in cooperation particularly with governmental administrations, or rather with organizations which the latter have control over those communication activities, with that according to the relating regulations and agreements it constantly supports the work of the governmental sphere. It performs its activity on the basis of a contract con- cluded with the Ministry of National Development (NFM).

In that frame RSOE – as a prominently public benefit organization, is operating the ―NAVINFO‖ Central Dispatcher Service and Information Centre in which the common hydrological, hydrographical as well as navigational data available for all stakeholders.

NAVINFO operates a communication system and offers the basic services as follows:

Fairway Information Services

 Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC - based on Inland ECDIS Standard)  Electronic Notices to Skippers (based on Notices to Skippers Standard)  Water level information

Traffic Information Services

 Tracking and Tracing (based on Inland AIS Standard)

Safety related services

a. NtS NAVINFO operates a communication system and offers the basic services as follows:

Fairway Information Services  Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC - based on Inland ECDIS Standard)  Electronic Notices to Skippers (based on Notices to Skippers Stan- dard)  Water level information

b. Internet

The actual data of the obstacles to navigation are published by VITUKI (supervised by VKKI) on the permanent „Report of fords‖ which are made day by day if it necessary. They are found within the website "www.vituki.hu" on the "Hydroinfo" link. The water level information are also available there within the part of the hydrological service.

In addition important, useful IWW related information are available on the websites of the relevant organisations such as the ministries, authorities, VKKI, KÖVIZGs, VITUKI, RSOE (NAVINFO)

c. Workshops Hungarian experts – representing their organizations – regularly participate numerous of IWW related workshops which are organized during the implementation of the other relevant projects within INTERREG, South East Europe, Central Europe programmes.

3. Connection and relevancy to other IWW management projects/activities CBRIS II: The objective of the project is to strengthen Danube co-operation by using River Information Services (RIS) and by providing harmonised port and risk management software solutions. (RSOE)

IRIS EUROPE II: The objective of the project is to strengthen Danube co-operation by using River Information Services (RIS) and by providing harmonised port and risk management software solutions. (RSOE)

WANDA: The project WANDA aims at establishing a sustainable, environmentally sound and transnationally coordinated approach in ship waste management – including the development and implementation of related measures – along the Danube in order to protect this water resource and its multifaceted ecosystems. (RSOE)

WATERWAYS FORWARD: the main goal of the project is to develop the multifunctional/recreational use of the inland waterways in Europe. (VKKI)

NELI: the project aims to create a transnational cooperation of research-, education & training- and administrative organisations, leading to technological innovations and implementation of common European transport policies, action plans and innovative busi- ness models for the inland waterway sector in the South East Europe-region. (RSOE)

INWAPO: the project aims to enhance the inland waterways and sea (and river) ports in Central Europe. (VKKI)

PLATINA: the main objective is to support the Commission, Member States and third countries in the implementation of the NAIADES action programme by bringing together all relevant actors concerned in a broad knowledge network. (RSOE)

RISING: the project aims at identifying and implementing new river information services for inland shipping operators and for the logistic sector. The members of the RISING consortium will jointly elaborate new RIS applications and test them with the active in- volvement of the target groups. (RSOE)

a. RIS International and national RIS regulations are:

 Directive 2005/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 Sep- tember 2005 on harmonised river information services (RIS) on inland waterways in the Community  Act XLII of 2000 on waterway transport

 Ministry of Economy and Transport Decree 39/2003 on waterway transport

 Government Decree 219/2007 on River Information Services (RIS)

 Ministry of National Development Decree 45/2011. (VIII. 25.) on the professional and operational rules of river information services

River Information Services (RIS) means the harmonised information services to support traffic and transport management in inland navigation, including, wherever technically feasible, interfaces with other transport modes. RIS do not deal with internal commercial activities between one or more of the involved companies, but are open for interfacing with commercial activities. RIS comprise services such as fairway information, traffic information, traffic management, calamity abatement support, information for transport management, statistics and customs services and waterway charges and port dues.

The PannonRIS system is permanently developed and operated in the framework of the

co-operation between the Ministry of National Development, the National Transport Au- thority and the National Association of Radio Distress-Signalling and Infocommunica- tions (RSOE). The PannonRIS website offers support for the Danube navigation 24 hours-a-day. In addition to the hydrological communication system, RIS conforming to the RIS Directive 2005/44/EC of the EU is under preparation in Hungary. It will be entered in force in Sept 2011.

E. Implementation timeline

1. Elaborate timeline for execution of identified activities The implementation of the identified activities is mainly taken into available resources consideration especially the national budget part of them.

a. Continuous activities

 Provide the day by day marking service both part of its (floating and shoreline as well).  Update the information of fords, shallow sections, any other bottlenecks  Update crossing pipelines, bridges, ferries.  Immediate reconstruction/supplement of the damaged or breaking loose floating (beacons, buoys) and/or missing shoreline marks (caused by either the natural or forced impacts).  Immediate reconstruction/supplement of the damaged (caused by either the natural or forced impacts) riverbed sections of the fords.  Enhance the co-operation with the relevant local/territorial/nationwide navigation authorities.

b. Annual activities

 Update of the fairway plans.  Inspection and test of the all special ice – breaking vessels before the winter period. This is a common activity with the representatives of the neighbouring countries in the case of the cross border cooperation (Slovakia, Croatia, Republic of Serbia).  Modernisation of signs providing safer navigation on the waterway.  Purchase of reliable light signals of low energy consumption, creating the possibility of the power supply on the riverbank.  Operation of faster marking vessels with lower fuel consumption

For the above mentioned activities there are marking vessels for three sectors. Nowa- days we use mostly the steel material of buoys with chain anchorage. During the improvement of the facilities some modern version will be planned (plastic material, application of solar cell, resistant form and anchorage procedure etc. In addition there is an existing planning of a fast marking vessel for the supplement of the missing floating marks almost immediately.

c. Mid-term activities (3-5 years)  Survey of the river bad and shoreline.  Increase the river /waterways mapping/charting – maybe through the results of any different international projects. Increase of the co-operation with relevant port authorities and municipalities along the river.  Collection of the experiences, lessons learnt about the operation of the waterway and the waterway administration, decisional structure: strengthes – weaknesses – opportunities - treatments (like a SWOT analysis).

There is no beforehand decided timetable for surveying the obstruction of navigation (shallow fords and bottlenecks as well). This survey is implemented depending on the water level. Directly the three directorates responsible for this activity but sometimes they are implementing this activity through the VITUKI.

The survey of the river bed happens in every five year in the upper sector Szap - Szob (from rkm 1811 to rkm 1708) and every ten years in the sector Szob - Southern state border (from rkm 1708 to rkm 1433), because in this sector of the Danube is less sensi- tive for the changing of river bed. These cycles sometimes are a little bit longer depending on the financial sources.

F. Measures and indicators

1. Activities a. Money spent

In general (in this year) money spent for the basic waterway operate & maintenance in the Danube stretch is 350.000€/year – but this amount of money strongly depends on the load bearing capacity of the state budget. The financial resources of the waterways related development activities of the waterways/fairways being provided in every year - considering the short- and mid level plans – after the negotiation of general revision of the whole yearly state budget - also by the state budget.

b. Expert meetings, partnership in relevant projects Some state organizations participate as project-partner in numerous of relevant projects within INTERREG IVC, South East Europe, Central Europe programmes and the cross border co-operation (CBRIS II, WANDA, NELI, WATERWAYS FORWARD, INWAPO, IRIS EUROPE II, PLATINA, RISING etc). Besides they participate in thematic meetings being organised without the project – frame. Hungarian waterway/fairway operate &

maintenance and navigational experts – representing their organizations – regularly participate lots of IWW related workshops and thematic conferences which are organized during the implementation of the other relevant projects.

Also the Hungarian experts actively take part in the permanent work of some very important international organisations such as ICPDR, DC, INBO etc. In Hungary also are organised some internal conferences and systematic (e.g. annual) or occasional meetings for the representatives of this profession.

G. Monitoring and evaluation

The continuous control, monitoring of the realization of the actual parts of the plans happens by the relevant ministries (Ministry of Rural Development directly in case of the waterways operation and maintenance issues and the Ministry of National Development directly in case of navigational issues.) VKKI – as a nationwide body within the Hungar- ian waterways administration - also takes part the progress of the monitoring and evaluation of the short-, mid- and long term plans in the field of the inland waterway’s development. Ministries have theoretically role and VKKI practices the operative part of the supervising activity. The three ―Danubean‖ KÖVIZIGs (Győr, Budapest, Baja) are responsible for the implementation of the above mentioned continuous, annual and mid term (3-5 years) tasks.

In general the objectives and goals being achieved as they are planned, but sometimes due the uncertainty of the (mainly) financial resources, it must take some correction within the implementation’s schedule in case of short and mid term planning as well.

General the identified activities are being performed as they are planned before, but also depend on the current budgeting background.

Actually we can say that the timeline (as well as in case of the short-, mid- and long term objectives and goals) is realistic. Of course, sometimes it needs for not basic ad- justments by the policy makers, responsible organizations and plenums. They have to revise the plans in every detail and have to decide the modification of the document depending of the actual political, governmental, financial etc. situation.