News
The European Shippers' Council (ESC) and the European Barge Union (EBU) addressed the European Commission (EC) to call on France to take actions as logistics has been hindered in the nation due to prolonged strikes.
Inland waterway transport has been targeted since the beginning of the strikes in France, restricting the free movement of goods both on the river Rhine and the French waterways, according to the ESC and the EBU. Due to the situation, barge owners and operators sailing on the waterways face blockades at locks, causing major delays and additional costs. It has led to an increased unreliability of the sector as well. Actions by the Rhine Commission towards the French authorities so far only had limited results. Also, a number of vessels on the Rhone are prevented from sailing between two lock complexes.
The ESC and the EBU, therefore, are jointly concerned about the free movement of goods within the European Union (EU).
