France’s VNF invests in the maintenance and expansion of inland waterways

Source: Picture by JerzyGorecki on Pixabay

Voies navigables de France (VNF) pledges to invest 340 million Euros to maintain and expand the 6.700 km long French inland waterway network. A significant amount of the investment (22%) is co-financed by municipalities, the water authorities and the European Union. A significant portion of this money is allocated towards sluices and weirs, one example is Gambsheim with 38 million euros. Gambsheim is home to France’s largest inland sluices, each being 270 meter long and 24 meters wide. It is estimated that 17 million tons of cargo are transported through it yearly, at on average 60 daily passages. An example for the expansion being furthered is the Seine-Scheldt link, consisting of the 107 km long Canal Seine-Nord Europe (CSNE). This large-gauge river link is being constructed to connect France, the Netherlands and Belgium. This will allow for the passage of barges with a loading capacity of up to 4.400 tons. This presents the development of another promising European logistics axis.

Sources (in German and French):

https://binnenschifffahrt-online.de/2023/05/featured/29752/vnf/

https://www.vnf.fr/vnf/modernisation-du-reseau-fluvial-demarrage-des-travaux-de-regeneration-des-ecluses-de-gambsheim-sur-le-rhin/

https://www.vnf.fr/vnf/modernisation-du-reseau-fluvial-demarrage-des-travaux-de-regeneration-des-ecluses-de-gambsheim-sur-le-rhin/

European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) launches public dashboard

Source: Picture by Buffik on Pixabay

CINEA has launched a public, interactive online dashboard that brings together information on all programmes entrusted to it. It enables anyone to find up to date information on the programmes and projects associated with these progammes.

Currently, data visualization for funding, projects and participants is available for the following programmes:

• The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) in the sectors Transport and Energy
• Horizon Research (Horizon) in the sectors Climate, Energy and Transport
• Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE)
• The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF)
• The Innovation Fund (InnovFund)

This tool features an easy-to-use graphical interface, and enables any user to interact with the data in numerous, transformative ways. It also enables the user to export raw data for further analysis. It is hoped that this commitment to transparency will have a lasting positive effect.

Source:

https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/cinea-launches-new-public-dashboard-covering-all-its-projects-and-programmes-2023-01-30_en

Rheintalbahn expansion

Source: Picture by GoranH on Pixabay

The expansion of the Rheintalbahn is making progress. The preparatory work for noise reduction walls commenced at the end of May 2023. The walls in question are set to be 3,6 kilometers long, with a height ranging from two to 6,5 meters.

The wall is to be constructed from an ecologically friendly wood-concrete, which promises to absorb soundwaves instead of reflecting them. The special mineral composition enables it to better withstand wind and weather.

Deutsche Bahn favors a route through Batzenberg starting at Leutersberg, but as a result of this route, three houses would have to be torn down. A longstanding goal for the whole Karlsruhe-Basel route is to enable maximum speeds of up to 200km/h, although the responses of residents to the works and noise pollution that is associated with it, is mixed.

The proposed route is yet to receive final approval from the respective railway office.

Sources (in German):

https://bahnblogstelle.com/202181/ausbau-der-rheintalbahn-bahnhof-muellheim-erhaelt-laermschutzwaende/

https://www.gabi-rolland.de/meldungen/ausbau-der-rheintalbahn-in-schallstadt/