Lower Vistula River as Transport Infrastructural Element at the Hinterland of Gdansk Sea Port

Abstract

Nowadays Gdansk sea port is reached predominantly by road transport. Inland water transport to this sea port is rare. Water track, the Vistula river, especially in its section between Gdansk and Warsaw, has got sufficient potential to become a relevant link in the transport system in the hinterland of the Gdansk port.
The main goal of the paper is to identify the most beneficial way, in which lower part of Vistula can be used and managed. In circumstances when opinions on how lower Vistula can be used as a water track are divided, we should use international experience in the development of inland waterways. The paper discusses problems faced currently by the development of inland waterways transport in Germany, the present transport connections at the hinterland of the Gdansk sea port, and outlines circumstances for the Vistula water in the section Gdansk-Warsaw.
We may conclude that it is justified to develop and manage lower Vistula and the best way of doing it is through cascading as only under such an option international class parameters can be ensured for this inland waterway to effectively include it in the transport system at the hinterland of Gdansk sea port.