In the European inland waterways sector, the River Commissions still play an important role. There are various Commissions:
The Rhine Commission is by far the most important, as the Rhine represents 65% of all freight transport by barge. It dates back to the Congress of Vienna (1815) and is the oldest international organisation in modern history. Its legal foundation is the Revised Convention for Navigation on the Rhine – referred to as the Mannheim Document – of 17 October 1868.
Efficient communication is the first step towards safety in inland waterways, but messages between ships or between a ship and the shore often face a language barrier. That is why Standard Inland Navigation Communication Phrases (SINCP) has been developed as a tool to enhance safety through standardisation of communication in the English language. The app supports training institutions and their students in achieving a better ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communication.
Android users can download the SINCP app for free on the Google Play store. Apple users should find it by searching the Apple store.
Visit the project website to find different language versions of SINCP.
February 2009 was the formal start of the Educational network of inland waterway navigation schools and training institutes. Its main aim is to come to a more structured cooperation and to establish harmonised training, education and certification system for inland waterway personnel in order to ensure high quality of trained staff on board. Of course ETF became an associated partner from the very beginning.
Check their website for more information.