Reducing environmental impact: The case of inland waterway transport in Lithuania

Abstract

It is an established fact that numerous active EU policy initiatives are aimed at reducing the Union’s environmental impact. Since the transport sector is one of the greatest polluters in the EU, there is a growing focus among the scientific community on the use of renewable energy sources for road transport. However, inland waterway transport has not been receiving sufficient attention. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the benefits of developing inland waterway transport, with particular focus on reducing the environmental impact of the transport sector. The study examines the example of cargo transport for the Kaunas-Klaipeda route in Lithuania. The impact on the main external costs is calculated through modelling and comparison and the findings show that external costs are lower when transporting goods by rivers. A positive environmental impact of modal shifting is also evident when a part of the freight flow is transferred from a heavily-used road to a river with a high reserve capacity (despite the greater distance along the river). Further, the research conclusions suggest that the use of alternative power drives will help to achieve emission-free inland shipping in the future. Finally, a market analysis in relation to the potential transition to river transport with zero emissions has yielded evidence that electric ships represent the most viable alternative power drive option for achieving this objective via this route.

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