Zagreb, September 28, 2023 – The fourth joint meeting of the bodies responsible for the inspection of inland navigation vessels was held in Zagreb from September 26 to 28, 2023. This meeting, organised under the auspices of the European Committee for drawing up Standards in the field of Inland Navigation (CESNI), follows on from the meetings in Budapest (2008), Wroclaw (2012) and Vienna (2018).
 

Source: CESNI

 
Participants were welcomed by Ms Duška Kunštek, Head of the Inland Navigation Directorate at the Croatian Ministry of Transport, and by Mr Ivan Bilić-Prcić, Head of Inland Navigation Division at the Croatian Register of Shipping and Vice-Chair of the CESNI. They particularly emphasised the key role of the European Standard Laying down Technical Requirements for Inland Navigation vessels (ES-TRIN)

• in promoting the convergence of regulatory frameworks at European level, including on the Rhine and Danube, and
• in supporting the greening of the European inland waterway fleet.

 
Mr Ruben Lindemann, from the German delegation to CESNI (also Deputy Commissioner at the CCNR), was a competent and efficient chairman.
 
More than 80 experts from 13 CESNI Member States, as well as an Observer State, a representative of the European Commission, classification societies, industry associations and river commissions discussed numerous questions on the practical application of the technical requirements for inland waterway vessels in Europe.
  
After the three days of the meeting, the 38 questions submitted beforehand by the experts on the application of the ES-TRIN had largely been answered. Once the responses have been validated by the relevant CESNI bodies, the results will be published by means of the database for the application of technical requirements “ES-TRIN-faq”.
 
The correct implementation of the ES-TRIN is required to maintain a high level of safety, to limit the environmental impact, to support the emergence of innovation and to ensure fair inland navigation conditions. The role of the inspection body experts should be particularly emphasised here.
 
Moreover, this meeting was also an opportunity to inform experts in the field about how CESNI works, the evolution of international regulatory frameworks and the new requirements introduced with ES-TRIN 2023/1. ES-TRIN 2023/1 will become binding through a delegated act of the EU and a resolution of the CCNR and will enter into force in January 2024.
 
The international experts are grateful to the Croatian hosts for their warm welcome and excellent organisation.
 
Link to the dedicated webpage: https://www.cesni.eu/en/suk-conference-2023/.