news July 2017 Periodic information bulletin for members of Inland Waterways International

published in UK at Ingles Manor, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 2RD CZECH REPUBLIC Upper Vltava navigation inaugurated in May A project supported by IWI since its study tour to Southern Bohemia and Saxony in April 2011 has finally been completed, with the opening of Hněvkovice lock on the river Vltava on May 20th. News editor Tomáš Kolařík reports.

n May 20th the last missing navi- gation lock on the Vltava waterway was Ofinished in the village of Hněvkovice. The lock was built to remarkably generous dimensions for a recreational waterway; it could accommodate barges of up to 45 x 6 m. This is a measure of how Czech waterway authorities and engineers are keeping all bets open for possible future commercial naviga- tion. High-capacity passenger vessels and large motor yachts can now ply the river from Orlík View of the crowd attending the inauguration and a dam upstream to České Budějovice, a distance throughout the Vltava from the Elbe via Prague. small passenger boat in the lock. © ŘvcČR of 95 km. Smaller boats up to 3 m beam, 3 m air The opening of Hněvkovice lock was the draught and 3.5 tonnes displacement can sail final phase of the project officially started in First, there is a need to rebuild one of the 2008. Completing the ‘missing link’ to České bridges in the small town of Týn nad Vltavou The lock and its stylish control centre are reached by Budějovice meant building four locks, two as a lift-bridge. The second project – already a bridge over the channel built for migrating fish and marinas and many landing places, for a total in preparation – involves building the unfin- canoes. © Ředitelství vodních cest ČR cost of around €62 million. Thousands of ished 300-tonne boat lifts at Orlík and Slapy citizens, the minister of transport Dan Ťok dams. and many boats attended the passage of Construction of the lift at Orlík could start in the first boats through the lock. The flotilla 2020. The final cherry on the cake would be then continued to České Budějov ice, where an additional lock in České Budějovice, as we it arrived on May 21 to be welcomed by recommended during our 2011 visit, to give Lord Mayor and other guests. Although this visiting boats the possibility of mooring in the significant milestone has been achieved, historic city centre. a lot remains to be done to make the Vltava We look forward to Southern Bohemia waterway fully accessible to larger craft. becoming the next sought-after destination for cruising holidays !  Tom Kolařík GERMANY Local councils refuse takeover from state

change in the policy applied by the Federal The department is led by Jochen Kies (who Government is welcomed by players in attended the WCC 2009 in Serbia). A the waterway tourism sector throughout This leaves intact the issue of local authori- Germany. ties stepping up to the plate and accepting new The ‘water tourism concept’ has been clarified, responsibilities in operation and maintenance of and after receiving a barrage of criticism and these (supposedly) conceded waterways. protests formally presented at the Reichstag in Although a short-term solution has again been Berlin, Government officials have been at pains agreed to ensure that the Finow Canal opened to stress that they will facilitate the maintenance this year in early May, as in previous years, Unser of navigability on the threatened waterways. Finowkanal reports that negotiations between To this effect they have even set up a specific the local authority grouping (KAG) and the department within the ministry to manage all the Federal Government suffered a severe setback secondary waterways (Nebenwasserstraßen). [continued p. 4] 1 INLAND WATERWAYS INTERNATIONAL

New secretary Di Harris A seminar Towards a Global Network of On the upcoming WCC, Sharon Leighton Welcome to Di Harris! IWI’s Water Museums – a common heritage for thanked Council members for their assistance new Secretary and Editor of a sustainable future held in Venice under the in identifying speakers and commenting on our magazine and newsletter aegis of Unesco, was attended by delegate Edo abstracts. She advised that acceptance of will also perform the tasks of Bricchetti and the association ONLUS Civiltà international speakers had been sent out, membership secretary. She dell’Acqua on May 2-4. It was also attended by noting that there had been 100 abstracts succeeds Dave MacDougall, delegates from the WCCO in China. Since then received for 48 speaking spots. who kindly continued to it has been decided to set up an international Dave Ballinger reported on the WCC status assist Council with secretarial tasks until his association of water museums, coordinated for the coming years. Leipzig had unfortu- replacement was recruited. We first met Di at by Edo and the Ecomuseum of the Naviglio nately been unable to confirm hosting in 2019. the WCC in Liverpool, while she and her Martesana. Yangzhou China had expressed interest (see partner Bob Naylor (co-editor) attended the A meeting of the World Historic and Cultural below). Leipzig may re-submit for a future date. Toulouse conference as invited journalists, Canal Cities Cooperation Organization Council will again meet in early July, to make writing for the UK specialist press. Di, a (WCCO), combined with the opening of the a decision on the projected presence at BOOT biochemist by training, has had a successful Jianghuai Ecological Corridor in Yangzhou, was Düsseldorf in January 2018. management career in publishing, radio and attended by David Edwards-May and Dave the voluntary sector. She has worked as a Ballinger on April 19. At this event David and WCC 2019 to be hosted in Yangzhou freelance journalist since 1988, carrying out five others were appointed Special Advisers The World Canal Cities Organisation based in projects that cover all areas of publishing, to the organisation, joining Dave and the Yangzhou has obtained the support of the research and development. Residents of the other earlier appointees. The next meeting is Municipal Government for hosting the World Devizes area in Wiltshire, UK, Di and Bob regu- planned in early September, when the organi- Canals Conference in 2019. larly travel to France as a members of Les sation will present a new publication: a World Amis du Canal du Nivernais. Canals Directory. The DBA 25th anniversary rally was held AGM September 24, 2017 IWI participation in events in Auxerre on June 15-18, and IWI was repre- Notice is given to members that the asso- A quick run through events attended by IWI’s sented by its president and secretary. ciation’s Annual General Meeting will be officers and delegates throughout the world A full meeting of the WCCO, combined with held at the WCC conference venue, Marriott gives an idea of the enormous scope of our the annual world canal cities forum, will take Downtown Syracuse, 100 E Onondaga St, on activities and depth of our involvement. A place in Yangzhou on September 8. Sunday 24 September at 6 to 8 p.m. sample of events in recent months is followed This is followed by our annual World Canals by a list of some upcoming events. Conference in Syracuse, NY, including our The Panama Canal enlargement inaugura- AGM on September 24, 2017 (see announce- tion in September 2016 was attended by news ment right, and p. 5). Welcome to new members editor Tom Kolařík (see p. 6). Corporate The kick-off meeting of the EU Baltic Sea Council meeting April 25, 2017 Afmitech Friesland Netherlands Region project EMMA, designed to enhance Council met to discuss ongoing campaigns B-MAR Marine Insurance Belgium inland navigation, was held in Warsaw on and internal organisation, which although less Carrick Craft Ireland November 22, 2016. newsworthy inevitably takes up a lot of time Státni Plavební Správa – Reditelství Czech Rep. PIANC’s conference on Navigating a and accounts for many agenda items. Individual Changing Climate was attended by presi- A key item was ‘growing the association’. Robert Cassetti USA dent David Edwards-May on March 27-28 in An outline plan was presented by Peter Stacy Daniels USA Brussels (see presentation summary, p. 6) Linssen, based on a new concept for an Inland Dan De Rusha USA Waterways Pavilion at the world’s biggest boat Otto Edinger Germany show, BOOT, in Düsseldorf, in late January each Steve Gibbs USA year. The concept was to be researched and Josh Repp USA costed, and a decision would be taken during Elizabeth Rooks USA the summer. Snežana Štetić Serbia There was discussion of the suggestion by key corporate members that a more business- IWI Newsletter is a digital document distrib- oriented approach should be adopted in the uted to members by e-mail every few months. future. The question remains open, pending A print-out is available on request for members receipt of detailed suggestions. who do not have e-mail. The magazine World Other items are reported elsewhere: the Wide Waterways continues to appear separ­ately. World Canal Cities Organisation and its Editors: Di Harris, Bob Naylor proposed partnership with IWI, and the tour to News editor: Tomáš Kolařík the Middle Danube and Iron Gate, in Hungary [email protected] and Serbia (report p. 8). Tel. +44 7711 367124 (English) +420 725 793793 (Czech) Please note that comments and opinions expressed Container push-tow heading upstream through the in IWI’s publications are those of the authors, Small Kazan gorge, seen from the viewpoint accessed by named or other­wise, and do not necessarily reflect trail in the Iron Gate National Park, on May 13. the position of the Association as a whole. 2 President’s notes

RANCE HAS THE MOST extraordinary Cycling across the footbridge and diverse network of inland water- at the port of Auxerre, on 17 F ways in the world. The length of the June, during DBA’s 25th anni- navigable network is conventionally given as versary rally. The barges were 8500 km, while historically there were 12 000 upstream of the town on a km, and in practice today around 9000 km river reach that is part of the potentially navigable. Canal du Nivernais. According to many French players in the Bob Naylor tourism sector, it is urgent to start enjoying this unique heritage and its delightful land- scapes from the towpath*. I’m now setting out to do just that, cycling or occasionally running along the whole 9000 km over the next two years. Taking up this new challenge, the ‘towpath’ Risks of downgraded service to naviga- Navigation structures and the channel or mode is chosen for practical and personal tors are looming on the horizon. Look at canal ‘prism’ are expensive to build, to operate reasons; with a busy schedule and a range the critical situation on the river Lot. The and to maintain. With the economy in virtual of activities, including IWI, I simply couldn’t ‘mainstream’ activity and focus of investments recession, the temptation is all too great to devote the time needed to cruise the whole throughout the valley is now the activity on abandon the expensive works required for network, even if I were fortunate enough the river banks, while navigation is relegated navigability, and to opt for the land-based to own a boat! But as the author of Inland to the status of poor relation. Some politicians tourism option; as well as being much Waterways of France, I have a duty to readers will deny this and claim that navigability of cheaper to develop and maintain, this is also and users, to immerse myself in the reality of the river Lot is still on the agenda. In practice, increasingly popular. the system at reasonable intervals. My friend projects that remain on the agenda but are This is specifically a risk on the waterways of and colleague John Riddel of Les Éditions du deemed to be non-urgent are systematically continental Europe, where the larger dimen- Breil also uses the towpath mode for research delayed until after the next election! The sions make them much more expensive to to produce his popular guides, so I feel I am in Aveyron département has gone even further, maintain and operate than in the UK. The good company. short-term vision of England’s canal compa- This personal project coincides with what ‘Local authorities are nies, tapping into and fuelling the Industrial has become an accepted form of waterway tempted by the land-based Revolution, and the 21m by 2.10m standard tourism, qualified by the unfortunate neolo- tourism option’ narrow boat, leaves us today with a heritage gism tourisme fluvestre, a contraction of fluvial that has a triple lock against a takeover by (which confusingly means ‘waterway’ rather declaring that it will no longer pursue the cyclists. First, the infrastructure cost for navi- than ‘river’) and terrestre (‘on land’). There was objective of restoring navigation on the river gation per person per kilometre cruising the even an entire conference devoted to the Lot. This is also a personal disappointment, as system is perhaps less than 20% of the cost subject in Paris in April 2017. VNF convened I supported the project and gave advice to the in France. Secondly, navigation is itself so tourism agencies and local authorities to département. popular that it could hardly be called into discuss the issues of itinerant tourism on the Padraic Neville and I, exploring the canals question. Thirdly, the canal towpaths are too canal and river banks. in North-East France in May, were shocked small to allow development as full-fledged I’m a keen supporter and user of cycling to discover that wherever the towpath is no cycle itineraries. Sustrans tried back in the infrastructure, but I wonder whether this longer required by VNF for operation and 1990s, but only limited lengths of the canals enthusiasm for the cycling mode is not exag- maintenance, it is abandoned. The track for are included in the National Cycle network. gerated, especially where councils see this four-wheel vehicles becomes a single path, While perhaps appearing to jump on the as the easy option to benefit from overall and the single path is gradually swallowed up ‘canal cycling’ bandwagon, I am determined economic impacts of the waterways, in other by the vegetation. not to betray the core readership of IWI words a popular alternative to navigation. Farm tractors and cows are another destruc- members, boatowners and other users of This new paradigm is not just French; the tive force in isolated rural areas. They have the waterways for navigation. This means same trend is to be observed in Germany and no right to be there, but there is nobody to continuing to support – even from the relative Belgium. enforce the formal restrictions on use. comfort of the towpath – the noble function of navigation, the reason the waterways were Among the 100-plus participants at built in the first place. DBA The Barge Association’s anniversary In closing, I would like to express our warm dinner, IWI founder members Tam and congratulations to member DBA The Barge Di Murrell, Mary Ranger and Philippe Association, whose 25th anniversary was cele- Bénard, vice-president and president brated in Auxerre on 15-18 June. The spec- of Les Amis du Canal du Nivernais, tacular rally was attended by 31 immaculately IWI’s secretary/editor Di Harris, David turned-out barges of all shapes and sizes.  Edwards-May, DBA chair Andy Soper David Edwards-May, June 2017 and, in front, Catherine and John Best (continental events) and DBA member- * or service road, we should write, in the case of water- ship secretary Caroline Soper. ways developed in the modern era, since towing died Bob Naylor its inevitable death in the 1960s. 3 WORLD WATERWAY NEWS

CANADA Peterborough Lift Lock is a magnet A new record was broken for Canada’s 150th birthday, when 328 canoes and kayaks filled the two chambers of the Peterborough Lift Lock at the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site in Peterborough. This was the third ‘Lock N’ Paddle’ event on the site, on Saturday June 24. In celebration of Canada 150 and National Canoe Day, Parks Canada in partnership with The Canadian Canoe Museum and The Land Canadian Adventures, issued a challenge: fit 150 canoes and kayaks Trial dinner in June 2016 under one of the caissons of the Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was known to in each caisson (‘tub’) of the Peterborough Lift Lock. A dozen guests downed shots of maple syrup be less than luke-warm to the project (as mayor Lift Lock – Lock 21. In the past two previous and feasted on trout, wild rice, duck eggs, asparagus, of Le Havre, fearing a loss of traffic). years, Lock N’ Paddle has filled one of the tubs poached rhubarb and beef tartare. The diners then After that there was a flurry of reassuring with canoes and kayaks. The first year fit 101 retired to the lock’s turbine chamber for dessert: terrines news, after intense lobbying by the project’s paddlecraft in a chamber, and last year 138. of fresh Ontario strawberries with coriander and chèvre leading protagonists. An important signal for the project was the nomination of VNF’s Kelly Jessup of Peterborough and the managing director since 2010, Marc Papinutti, Kawarthas Tourism is enthusiastic about as private secretary (directeur du cabinet) to the this special offer, which combines paddling a new Minister of Transport Elisabeth Borne, who voyageur canoe along the waterway and into will answer to Minister of State for Ecological the lock to learn about its history and how and Social Transition Nicolas Hulot. it works, working up an appetite to enjoy a Marc Papinutti had just been appointed one dinner of local food. ‘It’s literally the under- of three executive directors of the new public belly of the lock. Nobody ever goes in there. company set up to build the 107-km long canal. It’s not a public space. They don’t tour inside Another key player, Stéphane Demilly, MP for the lock on a regular basis, so it will be a very Albert (near Péronne, half way along the route) exclusive ex perience.’ was appointed president of a parliamentary group in the new Assemblée Nationale. The FRANCE other two members of the directoire are VNF’s A more sedate but also spectacular event is Seine-Nord Europe delayed… again Jérôme Dezobry and Cyril Forget, previously to take place throughout this season: Under The new French government plans to ‘pause’ private secretary (directeur de cabinet) of the Water Dining at Lock 21. The idea is for diners the long-awaited Seine-Nord Europe Canal. outgoing Transport Minister Alain Vidalies. to sit at tables placed beneath a raised caisson Immediately after the newly-elected president The supervisory board (conseil de surveillance) after it has finished its up-and-down dance of Emmanuel Macron formed his Government, was to be chaired by the MP Rémi Pauvros, key the day. there were concerns for the project, as the player in the ‘reconfiguration’ after 2012, while the vice-president was to be Gérald Darmanin. The former has lost his seat as MP in the June General Election, while the second has been German councils refuse takeover has entered an EU ‘Watertour’ seed money project made Minister for Public Action and Accounts. [from p. 1] with the aim of harmonising water tourism along The supervisory board therefore awaits new recently when both the Eberswalde town and the e-70 international waterway. Partners are appointments. Barnim district (Landkreis) councils voted against the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship in Toruń, As we go to press, all involved in the project are proposals to contribute financially to setting up a Poland (Lead Partner) and the NPPE Klaipeda in a state of shock at the ‘pause’ imposed on the regional Finow Canal Management Authority. Ship Research Center (Lithuania). project by the new minister of transport, where The negative votes prompted several of the It is also hoped to get the Kaliningrad region the prime culprit in terms of excessive invest- smaller communities along the canal also to involved. For this purpose a meeting is to be held ment spending is clearly the additional (and less refuse to bear part of the financial burden of the in Kaliningrad the day after the solar boat regatta profitable) high-speed railway lines, and not the transition. N:DW members find the vote all the organised by our association in that city. canal, which will mobilise no more than € 200 more regrettable in that their contribution would We also hope to extend e-70 cooperation million of State funds up to 2019. amount to just a few thousand Euros annually. towards our western neighbours along this KAG’s chair Friedhelm Boginski, the mayor of historic waterway in the near future.  Lower Scarpe in a limbo Eberswalde, hopes that the current opposition Hartmut Ginnow-Merkert A meeting is to be held in September between will be reversed by a positive vote later this year. VNF and three local authorities to agree on But the regional activists including the few entre- Note: IWI has frequently reported on issues of investment and governance to restore the preneurs who have already invested in private concern to boaters as well as to all associations lower river Scarpe (Scarpe Inférieure), which infrastructure along the Finow Canal, have vented seeking to preserve and operate secondary water- was abandoned in 2002 over a length of 20km their frustration about yet another delay in pres- ways. The latter have been represented by Netzwerk between Raches, the first lift-bridge down- ervation of the historic Finow Canal heritage. Deutsche Wasserwege (N:DW) since the associa- stream from Douai, and Hasnon, upstream from Despite this negative position of a majority of tion’s founding meeting in Eberswalde in February the boat harbour (port de plaisance) of Saint- regional decision-makers Unser Finowkanal e.V. 2015. Amand-les-Eaux. Since closure was forced (by a 4 WCC – USA failed lift-bridge) just after the port was opened, there was great pressure to maintain naviga- tion from the Escaut at Mortagne-du-Nord, and the Porte du Hainaut district council took over operation of the downstream section. It invested in dredging to provide a regular depth of 2 m throughout (sufficient for barges loading 250 tonnes), and provides staff to operate the locks. The waterway is managed from the capi- tainerie at the port in Saint-Amand. The other authorities to attend the meeting in September are the Communauté d’Agglomération du Douaisis and the Communauté de Communes Cœur d’Ostrevent.

ViaRhôna cycle route complete by 2020 The tug Syracuse with a buoy boat The riverside cycle route from Lake Geneva to on the hip and a dredge and string the Mediterranean will be complete by 2020. of barges behind, enters Erie Canal ViaRhôna is now officially part of the European lock E27 in Lyons. network, as EuroVelo 17. It runs alongside the river (or the diversion canals built by the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône) over 65% 2017 WCC is coming to Syracuse NY of the total length of 817 km. The route alter- nates dedicated cycle paths and cycle lanes on It’s not too late to register for Tour the Towpath offers the oppor- local roads with little vehicle traffic. Just under the World Canals Conference tunity to cycle along the Erie Canal trail a quarter of the route remains to be completed, (WCC2017), which marks the starting in Rome on Saturday September financed by the three regions concerned. bicentennial of the historic Erie 23 and finishing in Syracuse Inner Harbor in Canal. We give a preview of the time for the opening event on the Sunday GERMANY programme for the event, on the evening. Licensing rules relaxed theme ‘Our Vital Waterways: Agents Erie Canal: Syracuse to Buffalo is Organisations representing recreational of Transformation’, to be held in a post-conference tour for three days, boaters, including IWI and DBA The Barge Marriott Downtown Syracuse on September 28-30, starting in Syracuse and Association, have finally obtained a result in September 24-28, 2017 with nights in Geneva and Buffalo. It includes the loosening of German regulations applicable all the major sites on the western Erie Canal, to recreational navuigation on its waterways. WCC2017 brings together cross-industry and visits to Lockport and Niagara Falls. Persistent efforts engaged since the UNECE leaders who will introduce new perspectives WCC2017 coincides with the bicenten- Resolution No 52 was adopted in 2005 have into the revitalization of the world’s water- nial of the Erie Canal construction, and persuaded the Federal Ministry of Transport ways. WCC2017 highlights some of the most offers opportunities to discuss canals and and Infrastructure to raise the maximum engaging topics surrounding the world’s inland waterways to promote tourism, length of recreational craft from 15m to 20m. waterways, including education, explora- spur economic and community develop- Congratulations are due to all who have been tion and collaboration across continents. ment, improve environmental quality, and working on this, for a result was achieved Speakers hail from Ireland, Korea, Poland, exchange best practices on protection strat- in May when new waterway and naviga- Scotland, the UK and the Netherlands, as egies for historic sites. tion regulations were passed by the Federal well as Canada and the US. The conference Co-hosted by the New York State Canal Government. The maximum length of craft is expected to draw hundreds of interna- Corporation, Erie Canalway National deemed to be recreational is raised from 15 to tional delegates and thousands of local and Heritage Corridor and Visit Syracuse, and 20 m. Unfortunately, the Rhine Commission regional residents and canal enthusiasts to sponsored by I Love NY, National Grid, has been uncompromising on the issue, and waterfront events in the Syracuse area. Honeywell, and many more. the limit stays at 15 m on the Rhine. The loos- Attendees can cruise the historic Erie Canal For more information, to register, ening of this regulation will be welcomed by with conference study tours. Get a first- and to sign up for email alerts, visit Czech waterways, since boats need to cruise hand look at a variety of canal structures, wcc2017syracuse.com. The through Germany to reach Czechia. Mike Miller operations and community projects. You’ll complet program with tracks, presentation also have an opportunity to visit Syracuse’s titles and speakers is now on the web site. POLAND Inner Harbor and Onondaga Lake, the city’s You may also follow @WorldCanals on Upper Vistula association founded link to today’s canal system. Conference Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A meeting took place at Oświęcim on the study tours will focus on sites near Syracuse, Upper Vistula river on June 29, to formally set but there are also optional pre- and post- up the association to promote navigation on conference tours: the Vistula. Initiator Jakub Stonawski hopes Champlain and Eastern Erie Canals to step up the efforts to improve navigable is a 3-day tour on September 21-23 that connections for the Silesia region of Poland, includes a look at shipwrecks of Lake which combines intense industrial activity Champlain. with a shortage of water resources (cont. p.10] 7 WATERWAYS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Why are inland waterway investments always delayed?

‘Navigating a Changing Climate’ was the the Rhine-based European waterway subject of the conference organised by network according to the dimensions the Permanent International Association that are economically viable. At last, of Navigation Congresses (PIANC) on almost 50 years later, we are about to behalf of the Think Climate Coalition, in embark on construction of the link Brussels on 27/28 March 2017. IWI’s presi- between the Seine basin and the Rhine dent David Edwards-May made a plea for network. bringing forward inland waterway invest- This is just one part of an integrated ments, which have tended to drag on for waterways infrastructure adopted by decades, as competition for funding has the United Nations Transport Division tended to favour road and railway infra- Working Party on Inland Waterway structure projects. Transport in 1996. It has now been adopted by 19 countries and is the basis for what prevents them from making more use of nlike maritime transport where planning an integrated waterway infrastruc- inland water transport. there is no choice but to carry freight ture throughout the continent. But almost 30 U by sea, there are several options for years on there are still many missing links in crossing land and the inland waterways system the waterway network in Europe. is just one choice, albeit the most environ- The Seine-Nord link, which is now to ment-friendly. But these alternative options be built, is a branch of e-10, the North have major implications for the development Sea-Mediterranean link. The simplified map of an integrated waterways system. (right) also shows the Seine-Est link as part of There have been clear examples of compe- e-80, the Danube-Oder-Elbe links (e-20 and tition for waterways infrastructure. And e-30, and the Black Sea-Baltic Sea link, e-40. because there are alternatives, governments Some of these are in the European Union core But one of the major waterway investments can decide to suspend a canal or waterway network corridor priorities. Others, not yet. promoted very actively by the European building project. And that’s another aspect. Why does it take so Commission in partnership with the corre- This year is the 25th anniversary of the long for projects even to be adopted? But this sponding governments (years ago it was opening of the Main-Danube Canal, but diagram shows how integrated the European project 30 - the other one was project 18 construction of that waterway was blocked inland waterways could be if all those links which is the Danube) is the Seine-Nord for several years in the 1980s. It was feasible were completed. Europe Canal which is finally going to be built. to block it because there were alternatives for Works were theoretically to start this year, but freight transport and the canal was not seen as UNECE conference in February now the start date is given as 2019. essential. Even now, the director of the port of The United Nations Economic Commission Data extracted from the feasibility study Nuremberg declares that the actual waterway for Europe (UNECE) held a high-level confer- (already dating back a few years) indicates connection for the port of Nuremberg is not ence on inland water transport in Geneva in exactly how important and how valuable it is that significant - only 500/600 thousand February 2017. Steering towards the 2030 to transfer freight across land by inland water- tonnes a year. His focus (when we visited in Sustainable Development Agenda consid- ways. It shows that there could be a potential 2010) was on road and rail interchange. ered the role, challenges and opportunities saving of approaching 1 million tons of CO2 a It is clear that inland waterways infrastruc- for inland water transport and there are some year by using water transport on that 107 km ture is in competition for funding, and that obvious links to be made with that body and long canal, which broadly follows the line of this leads to delays in delivering on agreed the parties present on that occasion. the existing Canal du Nord. plans for an integrated waterways system. This summary of the importance of This is one clear example of the many benefits inland water transport was presented by of water transport that should be considered, the European Barge Union (EBU) and the but which are often not part of the initial feasi- International Vessel Register (IVR). bility study or bids for funding. SNE and water conservancy Waterway projects touch on many different areas, including resilience or climate change adaptation, and the needs of the population. For example, the water supply system for the Seine-Nord Europe Canal as originally designed was going to secure a very substan- tial volume of water for drinking and industrial water supply in the Lille-Tournai-Courtrai metropolis, with a population of 3.2 million. One of the first maps I looked at after starting The canal could still serve that purpose in the Conference of Ministers of Transport (which An investigation undertaken in Russia found future, but that function was taken out in the became the International Transport Forum in that infrastructure limitations were the reconfiguration of the project after the change 1953) had decided on a plan to integrate with number one factor quoted by people asked of government in 2012 as one of the measures 6 POLAND – CZECHIA – SLOVAKIA – HUNGARY to bring the cost down from approaching 7 billion euros to about 5.5 billion euros. Visegrad countries sign agreement on IWT Benefits such as fresh water supplies are not often enough taken into consideration when Observers in the waterways world Dan Ťok admitted that Czech waterways justifying investments of that nature within are cautiously enthusiastic about the still have to complete a number of important funding bids. The initial feasibility study is all agreement signed by the Visegrad projects to ensure adequate navigable condi- about transport and parallel functions are not group of countries [V4], to develop the tions, combined with phased implementa- considered. But the significant volume of fresh inland waterway network serving these tion of the Oder-Elbe-Danube connections. water supplies is a resource that should not be countries of the former eastern bloc, Feasibility studies are currently under way, dismissed. with substantial EU support. and the results should be ready by the middle This issue of completing the network is not of next year. Collaboration continues with only European. It is also relevant in the USA, major cooperation agreement Poland on part of this overall project, the in China and in India. was signed on February 2 in Warsaw connection Ostrava and Koźle, opening up a Construction of Olmsted lock on the Ohio by the ministers responsible for link for Czechia to the Baltic Sea. River started about 25 years ago and it’s been A inland waterways in the Visegrad Minister Marek Gróbarczyk, summing up regularly delayed for precisely the reasons Group of countries: Czechia, Slovakia and the conference, stressed that it was the start mentioned earlier. It has been possible to Hungary. They took part in an international of cooperation on joint projects expanding the manage freight transport by using alterna- conference organised by the Ministry of European waterway network. tives, and there has not been sufficient deter- Maritime Affairs and Inland Waterways in the Signing the cooperation agreement, the mination or political push to accelerate and to context of Poland’s presidency of the Visegrad ministers committed to developing common complete the project. And yet, are a lot of initi- Group, v4. projects, all the more relevant and fundable atives that are pushing for increased freight Polish minister Mark Gróbarczyk welcomed as the EU is placing pressure to expand water use of that waterway. Dan Ťok, the Czech Ministe””r of Transport, transport, the most eco-friendly mode, as Arpád Erseke, the Slovak Minister of Transport complementary to road and rail transport. As More freight on the Erie? and Construction and László Mosóczi, and part of its presidency of the V4 member states, One of the subjects that could legitimately Hungary’s Deputy Minister of National Poland has given priority to inland navigation be put on the agenda at the World Canals Development. The conference was attended by and intermodal networks, to which the EU Conference being held in Syracuse on the Erie representatives of the European Commission, allocates substantial funds. Canal later this year 25-28 September is: could government staff and independent international In this context Polish President Andrzej Duda there be a role for waterborne freight on the experts on waterborne transport, including signed the law on ratification of the AGN, Erie Canal (called the New York State Barge Hans van der Werf, former president of the under which the country commits to upgrade Canal when it was opened in 1918) despite the Rhine Commission. its navigations at least to Class IV. smaller dimensions compared with the main Arpád Erseke stressed Slovakia’s efforts to Three main AGN waterways in Poland are 12-foot channel network throughout the USA? ensure that the Danube, lifeline for central the e-30 waterway from the Baltic Sea via the The Danube-Oder-Elbe water corridors are a and eastern Europe, is navigable to the full Oder to the Danube in Bratislava, e-40 from century-old project, with land reserved under loading draught of 2.50 m for 300 days a year. the Baltic Sea at Gdansk to the Black Sea at Czech law, but we are still only at the phase of He was convinced that more use should be Odessa, via the Dnieper, and e-70 connecting preliminary feasibility studies. made of the waterway, since it offers the most the Oder with the Vistula Lagoon, forming There are equivalent problems worldwide : eco-friendly transport. He also described the part of the Europe’s east-west transport route limited water transport in India, for example. Slovak government’s plans for the develop- (Klaipeda-Rotterdam). In Poland less than 1% of freight is carried by ment of inland ports. Participants had no doubt that the develop- inland water. The number one reason is infra- László Mosóczi, referring to the sustaina- ment of waterway infrastructure accompanied structure limitations. bility of water transport and the need to limit by an increased demand for waterborne trans- The actual nature of the rivers also creates CO2 emissions, declared that Europe needs port, as well as the development of tourism problems and restricts how readily they can to create an integrated waterway network. and recreation, would generate revenue to be made navigable to close the missing links. The Danube must be fully exploited. state and local government budgets. This is particularly the case in Poland where Improvements are needed both for shipping A major beneficiary of the development the river Vistula is now practically unnavigable on the river and for port infrastructure. of inland waterway transport will be the from below Warsaw up to not very far short of Other rivers also need to be restored to navi- seaports, for which the waterways will provide Oswiecim (see piece right). Whereas there is a gation. an effective interface with the hinterland.  stretch upstream that is completely developed for high-capacity navigation. The European Commission’s vision is clearly in favour of increased use of inland water transport, hence the contribution of 40% to the cost of the Seine Nord Canal. The infrastructure we create is of value in To demonstrate the feasi- many ways other than transport, and these bility of the proposal, a 50m functions need to be built more robustly into long pontoon barge carrying feasibility studies. Populations in densely containers on two levels made populated areas throughout the world value the voyage from Gdansk to leisure resources close to home and that Warsaw and back. generates enormous economic value and social benefirs, on all continents.  7 HUNGARY – SERBIA IWI tour highlights potential of Middle Danube

From the chic border town of Baja in The group on the Hungary through Serbia to Kladovo, upper gates of Deák opposite Romania and almost on the Ferenc lock in Baja. The border with Bulgaria, a group of 24 last grain barge passed members discovered the majestic Danube, through the canal steeped in history, and its connecting from Bezdan in 1917. waterways, including the extensive canal network of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. Key objectives and issues For although eu funding is available under are reviewed here, while an illustrated the accession programmes, there remain account of the tour will appear in our next huge physical and intangible barriers to magazine WWW29. cross-border tourism, as could be developed through the Baja-Bezdan Canal and other he Middle Danube region with its cross-border waterways. vast interconnected waterway network Already in Baja, a bustling market town T – of vital interest to six countries – has which has an annual fish-eating festival, the been a focus of IWI activity since founder Ron group of 24 felt that it was on a mission : not to Oakley attended the International Scientific weigh in on the broader politics, of course, but Forum on the Danube, ‘River of Cooperation’, to persuade all those we met of the potential in Belgrade in 2003. The objective in succes- that could be developed by imaginative resto- sive visits, now shared by the group of profes- ration and improvement works on this vast sionals and enthusiasts who took part in the waterway network. The Baja-Bezdan Canal tour on May 9-15, is to underline the vast was last used by a freight barge in 1917, and untapped potential of these waterways for is now a protected natural environment, but Aquastar Maxim shares Djerdap 1 lock with the Viking tourism, as well as waterborne freight. The we stressed how important this connecting ship Lif. It was a shock for us to learn that Aquastar geopolitical reasons for the slowness in emer- canal could be for future holiday cruising in was for several years not authorised to pass through gence of projects that will bring economic the cross-border region. the Djerdap locks, while the international cruise ships growth to regions that badly need it are well benefited from the same status as commercial traffic. known. But for all who promote inland naviga- Unrealised potential The restriction was finally removed in 2015. tion as we do, it seems nonsense that Serbia is We were then guided with enthusiasm and prevented from fully exploiting its position as professionalism by our friends from the public Bill Holdsworth, president of the C&O Canal the natural hub in the middle of this network. water management company Vode Vojvodine, Association, reflects the views of participants A very different story will no doubt be told as who explained the projects at Bezdan Lock, in describing highlights of the tour: soon as Serbia is integrated in the eu. Šebešfok and Kučura, where the local ‘We loved the Serbian hospitality: Krsta and his ecological association has excellent plans for friends did a wonderful job of showing us their Serbia as an independent state in 1878, but with the bringing more local people to enjoy the canal, country. We got an up-close look at the Bezdan improbable zigzagging of borders (yellow lines) defined both on and beside the water. lock and the Mali Stapar mill/lock complex by the treaty of San Stefano (part of an exhibition at the The port of Novi Sad on Thursday May 11 along the Vojvodina canals. In Novi Sad our Kalemegdan fortress in Belgrade). was busy with barges coming into the system lunch at the base of Petrovaradin fortress offered as well as leaving the port. The Serb port great food in a riverside setting. We couldn’t authority, who came to a meeting we held that have had a better guide for Kalemegdan fortress evening in Belgrade, told us that traffic in the in Belgrade [new member Prof. Snežana Štetić]. Serb ports was set to exceed 10 million tonnes ‘We were impressed by the Austro-Hungarian in 2017, double the level of 2 years ago. For legacy: the canals in Hungary and Vojvodina freight at least, the situation is improving fast. harken back to that 19th century era, but they Covering the route from Budapest to Belgrade have unrealised potential in the 21st century. one way only was undeniably a benefit for all ‘Our trip along through the Iron Gate participants, since the programme was much surprised us with its memorable museums. more relaxing than if we’d had to double track Kladovo’s Archaeological Museum is world the long journey through Vojvodina. class with its prehistoric, Roman and medieval The second part of the tour was 3 days put artifacts. The Lepenski Vir museum’s preser- together by Aquastar Hotel Kladovo, with its vation of the Neolithic site impressed us. We purpose-designed boat Aquastar Maxim. The liked the reconstruction of a Roman villa at cruise started at the Sava port in Belgrade on Viminacium.’ Friday morning 12th, and a steady 17 km/h Congratulations to ‘Captain’ made it feasible to reach the entrance to the Krsta Pašković for designing Iron Gate at Donji Milanovac in the afternoon. this unique package. Thanks The coach transfer to Kladovo included a stop also to Transmanche at the viewpoint overlooking the gorge. This is Consultants and Norman so popular that it is currently being extended. Smith for enabling it.  8 USA

San Antonio’s riverwalk oasis in the heart of Texas

Brian Cross, a member from New Zealand, midst a catalyst for rebuilding the central city On first approaching the Downtown Reach, discovers the ‘Paseo del Rio’ in downtown as a special place for people to live, work, visit there’s a sense that you really have stumbled San Antonio, a uniquely successful and play. upon an oasis. Stepping down from street downtown waterway development that level not only takes you onto a different plane, has inspired cities throughout the world. but into a green zone as unexpected as it is delightful. The built environment blends here the rivers ran, the people totally with nature, while numerous pedes- would come to settle. So it was with trian access points make shopping detours W the foundation of San Antonio, Texas and exploring nearby attractions easy. in 1716. On a bend in the stream the Spanish On and alongside the river there’s a steady built a fort, from which they hoped to govern a stream of activity, while hotel terraces, bars vast swathe of wide open spaces. The missions and restaurants offer prime viewing as you sit followed the military, and a community and watch this little part of the world go by. It formed. The town would grow and prosper, Riverside sculpture is clear that most of the people you are sharing the river running at its heart. At times a mere this oasis with are also visitors. But there is trickle, at other times a torrent. Today the full riverwalk extends 13 miles (21 a generous sprinkling of locals too. If you Two centuries later the riverside settle- km) from north of the city centre to Mission work or shop in downtown San Antonio, why ment had become the largest city in Texas. Espada, southernmost in a chain of Unesco wouldn’t you take a river walk at every chance But sitting by the river, trouble would come World Heritage missions. Paths for cyclists and your day gives you? with the big rains. To prevent flooding and walkers run through wide belts of green-space The Riverwalk is a San Antonio ‘must see’. to increase flow from its often-fetid state along the precious waters, a prime recreational An informative 35-min boat ride takes visitors during dry periods, the river was tamed. Flood asset for locals and visitors. But most travel- around the Downtown Reach, or it’s an easy gates, a small dam and a bypass canal were lers on a short visit to San Antonio stay close walk of under an hour with plenty of time constructed in the early 20th century. to downtown and its main attractions. On the for idling and taking photos. Further out, the Not only did these works make downtown San river’s Downtown Reach the old drainage canal Riverwalk is worth exploring if time allows. Antonio safer and more efficient for business, and its extensions literally touch the commer- For more on the San Antonio story, take in at they sowed the seeds of a whole new civic cial district, just a short walk from that most least one of the historic missions that occupy future. By the mid-20th century, river carni- famous San Antonio sight to see, The Alamo. the riverbanks southward.  Brian Cross vals were being held on the straighter, deeper downtown sections that formed a convenient circuit. More than that, San Antonio had in its

 The Nueva Street dam at the downstream end of the navigable length of the river

Cleaning the river early morning. 

9 WORLD WATERWAY NEWS (cont. from p. 5)

Three Compasses Bridge, replacing On the other hand, shipments of Canadian a culvert that was one of the major grain, that had picked up due to congestion obstacles to restoration of the Wey on the rail system caused by unit-train ship- & Arun Canal in Surrey. Wact ments of crude oil, have fallen off again now that crude prices are down. Replica wooden craft starts at Lockport The Buffalo Maritime Center has built a replica ‘Durham’ 42 ft wooden launch, which was launched in the Erie Canal in Lockport in May, and is offering demonstrations of two of the restored flight of five locks, alongside today’s locks 34 & 35. Long before the Erie Canal, Durham boats and bateaux carried in this watershed area between the Oder Just north of Loxwood, WACT’s Thursday and heavy cargo on the inland waterways of and Vistula rivers. The founding members Sunday Group is approaching the final phase eastern North America. During the 1790s, the present decided to adopt the short name of building the new Gennets Bridge Lock and Western Inland Lock Navigation Company ‘Wisła Łączy’ or ‘Vistula Unites’ instead of an associated bridleway bridge. The volunteers built short canals, locks, and wing dams to long-winded Small Vistula Basin and Upper there aim to finish everything but the installa- allow boats to press up the Mohawk River and Vistula Cluster. The association aims to bring tion of the lock gates by the autumn. into New York’s Finger Lakes. The replica of together many users and interests (canoes, Apart from constructing sills, bricklaying and one of these pioneering freight haulers will transporters, wooden boats, anglers, histo- creating copings, they have been working on add greatly to the quality of the visitor experi- rians, people working in culture). As well as a new winding hole and installing electrics ence at Lockport. reviving inland water transport and building ready for the lock’s back pumps. the Silesian Canal, the association aims to At the River Wey end of the canal, plans are VIETNAM promote waterway tourism, and all initia- advancing towards submitting a planning Ambitious plans for the waterways tives to ensure that the water in the rivers is application for the first phase of the Bramley At a meeting of the Economic Commission clean. We look forward to welcoming Wisła Link project. Surveys to enable the re-creation for Europe (Unece) in Geneva in February Łączy/Vistula Unites as a new member. of more than 800m of the canal down to the 2017, the Director General of Vietnam’s inland Gosden Aqueduct and nearing completion. waterway administration Hoang Hong Giang UK spoke about the challenges and targets for Works progress on the Wey & Arun USA inland water transport. With far more navi- The New Compasses Bridge on the Wey & Commercial use increases on the Erie gable waterways than road and rail combined, Arun’s Summit Level is at last looking like The NYS Canal System is seeing a significant Vietnam aims to transport 32% of all its cargo the finished article, with water underneath uptick in commercial traffic. High-friction by water by 2020. An investment of $2 billion and the landscaped banks turning green with stone aggregate (crushed granite) is being is needed to modernise the infrastructure and freshly sown grass. Wey & Arun Canal Trust’s shipped from the Adirondack Mountains integrate road, rail and water transport. The Northern Working Party, with significant help to New York City via the Champlain Canal, World Bank and local and foreign investment from Waterway Recovery Group volunteers, ‘Project cargo’ that is too large to ship by road as well as state funding. has been busy at the site for two years. or rail is shipped by the Erie and Oswego The waterways currently have poor connec- Their £700 000 project, replacing an ageing canals to ports in upstate New York and the tions to road and rail, and some are highly concrete causeway at an entrance to the upper Great Lakes. In June, a cargo of 12 giant dependent on natural flow conditions. In the Dunsfold Park airfield and business complex, stainless steel tanks, shipped to the Genesee north the rivers are steep and winding and is a strategic part of WACT’s restoration Brewery in Rochester, on the Erie Canal, got floods occur regularly outside the dry season. policy in Surrey. Contractors built the founda- a lot of attention in the Press. Duncan Hay, www29 will feature some major projects, tions and concrete shell and volunteers have co-chair of WCC2017, observes ‘the system designed to allow the waterways to carry more built the training walls, laid facing bricks and was built to handle these large loads and than 350 million tonnes of cargo, an increase carried out reprofiling and landscaping. people came out in droves to see the ship- of 15% on current figures, along with a huge The bridge will eventually enable the first ments go through’. increase in passenger numbers.  fully restored section of the canal in Surrey, around 2 km, to be reopened to navigation. To the north, the waterway is substantially ready for boats; to the south, desilting is needed down to Tickner’s Heath at Dunsfold. The working party will now turn its attention Volunteers from the Buffalo to completing a new slipway nearby which Maritime Center board the Erie will be suitable for trail boats and launching Traveler, a replica of a 19th canoes and kayaks. The volunteers’ next major century Erie Canal cargo boat, job will be replacing the causeway at Tickner’s known as a Durham Boat, after with a similar bridge to Compasses, enabling it was was hoisted into the the restoration project to progress south original canal locks by a crane through Sidney Wood, towards the current on May 11. northern head of navigation. The Buffalo News 10 Waterway publications 2017-2018

Chinese scholar translates Rolt Midi, the Bourgogne, Nivernais, Briare and Member Xingming Zhong from Qingdao the Canal du Centre, but the book seeks to University, Shandong Province, China, is highlight the charms of some lesser-known translating Tom Rolt’s ‘From Sea to Sea’ into waterways such as the Canal du Rhône au Chinese. The book was originally published Rhin branch to Colmar, the Paris canals or in the UK by Allen Lane in 1973 under the the Canal de Roubaix. In Northern France, sole authorship of L.T.C. Rolt. In 1994 David the book makes incursions into Belgium to Edwards-May updated the text and also trans- highlight the attractions of the river Lys down lated the book into French re-publishing the to Ghent, or the Belgian Canal du Centre book through Euromapping. The Chinese with its historic lifts. Considering the overall edition will be published in 2018 by the quality of the work, it is disappointing that China Architecture & Building Press. There editing was often careless, leading to cringe- is information about all of Rolt’s books on worthy moments, such as a letter missing www.ltcrolt.org.uk. Many are still available in from the Scarpe in the list of contents, the English language. I wonder whether you might Deûle mistaken for the Lys in a caption, or consider publishing other books by my father a text on the Canal de Roubaix referring to in China? His biography of Brunel still sells opening ‘planned in 2007’. strongly here in the UK and I imagine there could be interest in Brunel in China. Breil publishes Seine guide The latest guide published by Éditions du Phoenix to publish ‘China Canal’ Breil is n°21 Seine. Available since 2016, it The Phoenix Publishing and Media Group includes all the Paris canals and a section on based in Nanjing is preparing a major the little-known Canal de la Haute Seine. This 10-volume publication to present the canal has not been navigable for many years multiple facets of China’s Grand Canal. but all the bridges have been rebuilt higher A single summary volume in English will over the water, the towpath has been restored also be published, while a TV series of 10 and new lock gates been installed. These programmes corresponding to the 10 volumes restoration works strangely seem to fall short is also part of the project, which was started of making the canal actually navigable again, in 2012, for a total budget of ¥20 million (€2.6 but John Riddel recommends exploring this million). The 10-volume publication, under canal by bike. The publisher is also completing the imprint of Phoenix Science Press, will be a guide to the Rhine between Basle and similar in format to the recently-published Strasbourg, to be available this autumn. tomes on the Great Wall of China. A delega- tion from Phoenix will attend the World WCCO World Canals Directory Canals Conference in Syracuse in September, Edward Wu, in charge of promotion at the to establish contacts with a view to dissemi- WCCO (Yangzhou), is compiling for the nation of information about the Grand Canal organisation’s autumn meeting an illustrated as a Unesco World Heritage Site. Making directory of major canals of the world. IWI has information accessible to the general public been assisting his team in obtaining photo- worldwide is one of the obligations of a WHS graphs of the featured canals : in addition to Stokerkade in Amsterdam in 2016. The work management plan. the Unesco World Heritage sites (Canal du is similar in scope to the ‘plus beaux canaux Midi, Rideau Canal, Pontcysyllte Aqueduct de France’ presented above, in seeking to make Les plus beaux canaux de France and Llangollen Canal, the Canal du Centre and the general public aware of the country’s fasci- Éditions Ouest France published in April an its historic lifts the 17th century Canal Ring nating waterway heritage. Here the task was excellent descriptive and abundantly illus- Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht, even more challenging, because authors Hans trated guide to the ‘most beautiful canals and and China Grand Canal, the book will feature Buiter and Roger Raat sought to present Dutch waterways in France’. The 396-page volume the ‘top ten’ canals of the world, largely by canals to the general public through just 12 is bristling with information and superb length and dimensions of the locks. Joining examples! Hence the sub-title ‘a journey along maps and photography, featuring the editors’ the China Grand Canal in this prestigious 12 canals’. The choice is fascinating, and will personal selection of waterways meriting list are four ship canals (Suez, Panama, Kiel be featured in our forthcoming magazine their label. Naturally, some will contest the and Manchester), two major canals in Russia www29. It includes the Stadskanaal, which selection and regret the omission of their (Volga-Don and Moscow), the Erie Canal, our president David Edwards-May cruised own favourites, but contributors have to be USA, the Albert Canal, Belgium and the Göta through in a hire boat in 1970, before being commended on the boldness of their choices Kanal in Sweden. blocked by the unannounced closure of the and the excellent promotion of those water- canals south to Coevorden. The circular cruise ways, some of which are under threat or need Nederland Kanalenland attempted then is now again possible, thanks restoration works to deliver their full poten- At the end of the Danube Iron Gate tour, at to opening of the King William Alexander tial. The six chapters cover 24 of the country’s our goodbye dinner in Belgrade, Peter Nijhof Canal. The list includes a major restoration 80 waterways (identified by Inland Waterways and Marika Schnitker presented us a copy of project, the Apeldoorn Canal, and the disused of France). Obvious choices are the Canal du ‘Netherlands – canal land’, a book published by Overijssel Canal. (see cover p.12).  11 2 1 © VNF On canals Although the recently-planted trees on the Canal du Midi in Castelnaudary 1 are still a long way from providing the shade of the diseased plane-trees they are replacing, they already contribute to an attrac- tive landscape. Exclusive hotel barge holidays are as popular as ever, 50 years after they started in France; guests say goodbye at the end of their cruise on Luciole, Arthur Liley’s third hotel barge, in Auxerre 2 . Dramatic view of old and new on the Canal du Centre in Wallonia, Belgium 3 . The 73m high lift at Strépy-Thieu towers above the Hainaut plain in the background, while the hydraulic lift #3 is the base for tourist visits to the World Heritage Site. This is one of the photographs supplied for the World Canals Directory currently being compiled by WCCO (p.11). Aerial view of the weir, hydropower plant and old lock at Isola Serafini on the river Po upstream from Cremona 4 . A po-ignant moment occurred on 7 © Pim van Schraik June 30 when the motor barge Adda made the last passage through the old lock, to be infilled when the new Class Va lock is opened in the autumn (to the right of this view). A spectacular shot of inaugura- tion of the enlarged Panama Canal on 26 June 2016, visited by Tom Kolařík 5 . A floating wastewater treatment plant designed and built by Afmitech Friesland 6 is moved to its summer mooring on the Friesian lakes, to provide trouble-free and remotely- monitored pump-out in one of three isolated loca- tions in the province. This state-of-the-art connected plant could make pump-out a pleasurable experi- ence. Cover of the book Nederland Kanalenland - a 6 journey along 12 Dutch canals, prefaced by Peter Nijhof; this manually-operated swing-bridge is on the Stadskanaal 7 ; the book was presented as a gift at the end of our Danube-Iron Gate tour. © Service Public Wallon - SPW 3

5 © Panama Canal Authority 4