Voies navigables de France

Voies navigables de France ( VNF ) is the state's waterway management in France. It was founded in 1991 and has been given the task to develop the navigable inland waterways, and operate. VNF has approximately 5,000 employees, its headquarters is located in Bethune. It is subordinate to the Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Regional Planning ( Ministère de l' Écologie, de l'Energie, du Développement durable et de l' Aménagement du territoire ).

Waterways

France has navigable waterways of a total of 8500 kilometers in length. VNF is managing them 6700 km, the rest was outsourced to regional organizations. The main road network comprises 4100 km, of which 2000 km for inland waterway vessels with more than 650 tons loading capacity ( Grand gabarit ) are designed. These are located in the following areas:

  • Nord-Pas de Calais
  • Seine- Oise
  • Rhône -Saône
  • Moselle
  • Rhine

The remaining waterways are dimensioned only for Pénichen ( Petit gabarit ).

Cargo shipping

2007 were transported by cargo shipping to France's waterways goods weighing a total of 61.7 million tons. Refers to the distance in the statistics, results in a value of 7.54 billion ton- kilometers. Over the past 10 years, this means an increase of 33 percent. Due to the favorable development of the transportation costs and reduced environmental impact compared to the transport by rail and road, a further increase in cargo volume is expected.

Passenger shipping

Today the passenger shipping is only within the framework of tourism importance. The waterways of the secondary water network are gladly taken, which also means an economic boost to the tourism often poorly developed riparian communities. 2007, the following transport services were provided:

Major Initiatives

The Canal Seine- Nord Europe ( CSNE ) is the project of a new, 106 -km long canal in the south-north direction through northern France between the catchment areas of the rivers Seine and Scheldt. Vessels up to Category Vb ( pushed convoy with two barges ) are able to run on the new waterway. The project is included in the Transport Plan of the European Union, the implementation work has commenced, the channel is to be taken in 2016.

Riverboat Pleasure craft Cruise ship
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