Waterways in the European economy
The problems of European waterways will be presented. Selected transport corridors of the European program „CONNECTING EUROPE” will be discussed. A significant part of waterways in the European economy will be discussed. Electricity generated in hydroelectric power plants of the Vistula and Odra river basins can cover a significant part of Poland’s demand for electricity. This will be presented at the conference. Individual issues related to waterways, including water transport and flood protection reservoirs, will also be discussed. In addition to the current state of waterways, future intelligent inland navigation supported by artificial intelligence will also be discussed.
The Danube-Adriatic Subalpine Waterway
The Danube-Tyrol-Adriatic waterway project envisages the construction of an underground canal under the Alps. Once the Odra-Laba-Danube Canal is built, the water connection between the Baltic and the Adriatic will become real. The economic and environmental benefits of such a project are described in a project sent to the relevant authorities of Italy, Germany and the European Union. Its construction will enable the connection of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea with the Adriatic. The project envisages the construction of hydroelectric power plants. This will be an additional source of renewable energy.
The Baltic – Black Sea and Baltic-Adriatic connection
We will discuss the chances of implementing the Baltic-Black Sea (Vistula-San-Dniester-Prut-Danube) waterway project developed in 1927 by professor of Lviv Polytechnic M. Matakiewicz. This waterway can be included in the European and world water system. The Baltic-Adriatic transport corridor project will also be discussed.
Forms of cooperation in the area of waterways
The Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union will discuss the problems of waterways in Europe. Many conferences and debates on this topic have been organized in Poland. One of the conferences: https://www.salon24.pl/u/henrykpolcik/1079305,o-drogach-wodnych-w-centrum-jana-pawla-ii-w-krakowie-lagiewnikach;; „Waterways of Central and Eastern Europe” has been published. https://www.salon24.pl/u/henrykpolcik/940662,polaczenie-wodne-baltyk-adriatyk-m-czarne . The current conference may be the beginning of a debate using modern tools supporting the construction of intelligent waterway infrastructure. The experience of many countries in the use of AI in maritime and inland navigation indicates that intelligent ships are a near future. (https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/5/836) Therefore, during the Presidency in Krakow we will talk about the use of AI in maritime and inland navigation. We will propose continuing this topic for the next presidencies in Denmark and Cyprus.