River transport

What is river transport?

The River transport It is a mode of transport that is used to move cargo and passengers, mainly through the network of internal waterways -such as rivers and natural lakes-, as well as artificial channels and reservoirs. The transfer can be both national and international.

This form of transport has become the most favorable means within the strategic framework of sustainable development. For years it has been the subject of renewed interest, both from the public and private sectors. Among the main rivers in the world where river transport is important is the Mississippi, in the United States, with a length of 6270 km.

The Amazon River in South America also stands out, which at 7020 kilometers long crosses Peru, Colombia and Brazil, until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Another river of great importance is the Nile, in Africa, which with 6671 kilometers long runs through Uganda, Sudan and Egypt, to flow into the Mediterranean.

The Danube, in Europe, has a length of 2,888 km and crosses 10 European countries, starting from Germany until reaching the Black Sea on the Romanian coast.

Finally, there is also the Blue River in Asia, which is 6380 km long and crosses China, from Tibet to the East China Sea..

History of river transport

Since ancient times, people have used rivers for travel and for the exchange of goods. River transport appeared in the Neolithic, which is why it has been considered the first means of transport in the world.

Rowboats and sailboats were also used thousands of years before the Christian era in Mesopotamia, Egypt and China..

From the 12th century to the 14th century, the commercial flow through river routes was increased through the use of ships with capacities of 10 to 20 tons. This was possible thanks to the development of medieval cities located by the different rivers of Europe and the development of trade.

In the 16th century, navigation was significantly improved through the construction of locks on the river routes. At the beginning of the 19th century, the use of steam engines on ships played an important role in the development of river transport and in reducing its cost..

Characteristics of river transport

River routes can be classified into international, interregional and local:

• International routes are those used by different countries in their foreign trade operations. Examples of these routes are the Niger, Danube and Paraguay rivers..
• Interregional routes provide the transport of products between the main regions of the same country. Examples of these routes are the Volga rivers in Russia and the Mississippi in North America.
• Local routes are those used to make links within the same region, or intra-regional links.

The main characteristic of river navigation is to transport products in large volumes and at a slow pace..

Commercial river transport

It is based on the following:

• Existence of a major port at or near the mouth of the river.
• Competitive costs in the transport of certain products, using tons per kilometer as an indicator.
• Presence along the river of prosperous agricultural and industrial areas.
• Adequate connections with the land transport mode (road and rail) or with the maritime mode, thus implementing the multimodal transport operation. For this purpose, Inland Cargo Terminals (TIC) are created along the river's path, as well as centers for the transfer of cargo from one medium to another..

River navigation networks

In the world, four river navigation networks can be distinguished, corresponding to four large industrial zones on our planet. These networks are the following:

• Northwest Europe (from the Seine to the Rhône and to the Elbe).
• Britain.
• The russian plain.
• The American Northeast (the St. Lawrence Canal, the Great Lakes, and from Erie to Mississippi-Missouri).

Advantage

River transport has numerous attributes compared to other types of transport in terms of logistics, safety and environmental protection, maintaining its position among the most advantageous contemporary means of transport..

Some of the most outstanding advantages are the following:

• Its cost is highly competitive, being an efficient means of transport: a simple river barge navigating the smallest channels transports between 250 to 300 tons of cargo, which is equivalent to about 10 or 12 trucks, or 5 or 6 railroad cars..
• River transport is the least polluting mode of transport, having one of the lowest CO₂ emission levels of all means of transport. Transporting goods by rivers is considered an environmentally friendly form of transport.
• By taking the only means of transport that is not crammed, the first thing that is guaranteed is high reliability in delivery times.
• It has low levels of accident and environmental impact due to the emanation of noise or gases, mainly when compared to land transport.
• It allows a quite important energy saving, since a horsepower (HP) mobilizes only 150 kg in truck, 500 kg in train and 4000 kg in a river boat.
• Rail and road networks require constant modernization and maintenance; however, navigable lakes and rivers require much less investment and are more useful when integrated with land or sea connections.

Disadvantages

Destruction of river courses

Although river transport is a relatively clean method of moving products, the improvements that must be made to rivers to make them navigable - straightening, dredging and channeling - often lead to the destruction of natural river courses, generating negative impacts on people..

Of the 230 major rivers in the world, about 60% are considered to be moderately or seriously “cut off”. These cuts are commonly made in order to improve river transport.

Habitat alteration

Infrastructure projects for river navigation alter the natural function of the river and its habitat due to the physical modifications carried out, such as water pumping, gravel and sand extraction, channeling and dredging. This creates deep, smooth and straight waterways that partially cut the river from its natural plain..

The operation of the boats creates waves that disturb other beneficiaries of the water. Young fish are directly affected by waves, as their swimming ability is low. The high intensity of traffic leads to a reduction in animal diversity along the river's shores..

Possible contamination from spills

Eventual spills and ship crashes can pollute and damage aquatic habitats. This accidental contamination could be from oil and, in other cases, from dangerous substances.

Seasonal use

In many countries this mode of transport operates seasonally, when the aquatic environment offers satisfactory navigability conditions..

What is lost by adapting a river to boats?

River transport will not be truly sustainable if the significant services that rivers provide to ecosystems are ignored. Some of the services that are lost when trying to adapt a river to the boats (instead of adapting the boats to the river) are:

• Storage and retention of water for domestic, agricultural and industrial use.
• Food supply from fishing.
• Flood control.
• Groundwater recharge.

References

1. The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). River Transport. (n.d.) Taken from: thefreedictionary.com.
2. Ashraf Ghazy, Damietta (2018). River transport and reshaping Africa. Edition 43, Port Planning, Design & Construction. Taken from: porttechnology.org.
3. Roberto Bloch (2012). River Transport Characteristics. Taken from: rm-forwarding.com.
4. Reports (2009). History of river transport. Argentine River Transport Meeting. Taken from Transportefluvial.com.