Project “Strengthening of Short Sea Shipping”

Rising freight transport demand, ambitious climate targets and congested road networks require new logistics solutions for freight transport. The project “Strengthening of Short Sea Shipping” focuses on waterborne transport and highlights its potential for achieving a sustainable modal shift. Find out more about the project here.

26 January 2026

Short Sea Shipping is a key instrument on the path towards an efficient, climate-friendly and resilient German freight transport system. Considering ambitious climate targets and the steadily declining share of waterborne transport in the modal split over recent years, there is an urgent need for action. Both Short Sea Shipping and hinterland transport via inland waterways play a central role in achieving the EU climate targets by 2045. In addition, the EU Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy sets the objective of increasing the share of inland waterway transport in total EU freight transport volumes by 25 per cent by 2030 compared to 2015.

Within tis framework, the project “Strengthening of Short Sea Shipping” specifically addresses existing challenges and policy objectives. As a measure under the National Ports Strategy (Measure 2.34), the project focuses on the development of an implementation-oriented short sea shipping strategy. The emphasis lies on shifting freight transport from road to ship. The strategy is intended to identify specific measures for modal shift, thereby contributing to emissions reduction in the transport sector and to the sustainable alleviation of pressure on road infrastructure.

A key component of the project is the systematic integration of Short Sea Shipping with onward transport within Germany, in particular via inland waterways. Through this approach, waterborne transport is deliberately strengthened as an integral element of resilient and environmentally friendly supply chains and enabled to support a future-oriented freight transport system.

Overview

Objectives

The core objective of the project is the development of a short sea shipping strategy that links Short Sea Shipping with onward transport within Germany (hinterland transport) via inland waterway vessels. The focus is on shifting road freight transport to coastal and inland waterways.

Project Duration

The project was launched in January 2025 and is scheduled to run until December 2027. An extension of the project may be approved if required.

Funding

This project is funded directly by the Federal Ministry for Transport. In addition to annual financial support, the funding also includes assistance with networking between stakeholders from politics, industry and research, as well as access to data portals of the Federal Ministry for Transport.

Background and Context

The background to this project is rooted in key challenges and development trends within the field. These highlight the issues addressed by the project and the way in which it seeks to contribute to viable solutions.

Strengthening climate-friendly modes of transport

The EU Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy provides for increasing the share of inland waterway transport in total EU freight transport volumes by 25 per cent by 2030 compared to 2015. The project is intended to support the achievement of this objective.

Identifying the potential of waterways

Increasing traffic volumes on roads lead to congestion, higher emission levels and reduced air quality. By contrast, ships represent an environmentally friendly and efficient alternative for optimising road freight transport through the use of waterways.

The redundancy function of waterborne transport

Federal waterways, as part of a flexible freight transport system, are indispensable for resilient supply chains and can make a significant contribution to security policy in the context of geopolitical challenges in Europe.

Facts and Figures

The network of navigable waterways across across Germany extends over a total length of 7,280 kilometres and constitutes a significant component of the national supply chains.

On average, a single inland waterway vessel replaces the use of around 150 heavy goods vehicles.

Of the total seaborne cargo throughput of 274 million tonnes handled at German ports in 2024, 159.6 million tonnes accounted for Short Sea Shipping. This corresponds to a share of just under 58 per cent.

The length overall (LOA) of a Euro vessel (EMT Class IV) is 110 metres. Depending on the vessel configuration and stacking height, it can carry approximately 150 to 190 TEU.

Learn more about the project

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