Policy and promotion of sustainable inland waterway transport in Europe – Danube River

For transport purposes a great amount of fossil fuels is exploited which represents the biggest threat to global warming and the realization of sustainable development concept. European Union is trying to implement and plan this concept on the entire European continent. In order to manage the sustainable development strategy, it is necessary to conduct an all-inclusive analysis of the current state and depending on the results, set some goals and define the activities that will make their realization possible. This research is based on the analysis of the waterway transport on Danube River and its aim is to point out the facts, based on which it will be possible to predict further directions of sustainable transport development on the most important waterway of Europe. The research indicates the basic rules of European politics of sustainable inland waterway development. The River Danube is considered to be the backbone of water transport in Europe. It connects, via Rhine – Main Canal, Western Europe and Rotterdam harbor with the Black Sea, that is with Russia and the East. The authors also analyze the data about the use of Danube waterway for transport of goods and people. This research covered a short description of Danube, the analysis of Danube fleet, the analysis of the amount of transported goods and number of transported people as well as the analysis of load and unload of goods in Danube harbors. The research covered these points in the period starting from the year of 1950. Based on the result analysis the authors arrived at a conclusion that the use of River Danube for waterway transport purposes is unsatisfactory and that as such cannot be sustained in long term. Also, the research points to the basic European initiatives and investment projects in the field of river transport which is in implementation stage. Considering the basic regulation documents and research results, the authors present an overview of measures and suggestions for efficient management conducted so far, development of a unique information system and promotion of Danube waterway, which will lead towards long-term sustainable development transport on Danube and so it will stimulate a stable and sustainable development of all countries and regions in Europe.