Project: Transitional provisions in ES-TRIN for inland passenger vessels

The technical requirements for inland passenger vessels under ES-TRIN are continuously evolving. However, new requirements often present a technical or economic challenge for the operation of existing vessels. The German Maritime Centre is developing a practical guide that makes transitional provisions more transparent and facilitates decision-making processes.

25 March 2026

The European Standard laying down Technical Requirements for Inland Navigation Vessels (ES-TRIN) forms the binding technical basis for the construction, equipment and certification of inland vessels in the European Union [1]. Since its initial publication in 2015, the regulation has been regularly expanded to take account of new safety findings, technical developments and practical experience. The aim is to achieve a uniformly high level of safety in inland navigation throughout Europe’s waterways [2].

With each update of ES-TRIN, operators of existing passenger vessels face new requirements. Transitional provisions regulate the conditions under which new requirements are applied to the existing fleet. However, the regulations are complex, have evolved historically and are sometimes difficult to oversee. Particularly in the case of older vessel designs, technical requirements lead to conflicts due to structural limitations or cause considerable economic burdens.

Systematic analysis for operational relief

This is where the aim of the project comes in, supported by DST – Entwicklungszentrum für Schiffstechnik und Transportsysteme e.V. and the Austrian law firm Dipl.-Ing. Richard Anzböck. The objective is a well-founded examination of the transitional provisions, identifying technical or economic challenges and potential systematic ambiguities in the regulatory framework. In doing so, the different perspectives on implementing the regulations will be assessed: Whilst a uniformly high level of safety is sought at European level, national authorities are responsible for the legally sound application in individual cases, and operators must ensure technical feasibility as well as economic viability.

On this basis, a practical guide for existing passenger vessels is being developed to facilitate the application of the regulations. The guide is also supposed to make decision-making processes more transparent and reduce the administrative burden in individual case assessments – for instance in the context of hardship applications. These allow deviations from ES-TRIN under certain conditions but require a well-founded technical or economic assessment by authorities and applicants [3]. The project thus contributes to the practical application of ES-TRIN.

Overview

Fields of Activity

Regarding the German Maritime Centre’s fields of Activity, the project primarily addresses the field of Competitiveness.

Objectives

The aim of the project is to develop a practical guide for implementing the ES-TRIN transitional provisions for existing inland passenger vessels. The guide is supposed to identify technical or economic challenges and simplify decision-making processes.

Partners

The project is being carried out in cooperation with by DST – Entwicklungszentrum für Schiffstechnik und Transportsysteme e.V. and the Austrian law firm Dipl.-Ing. Richard Anzböck.

Background

Background and Development of ES-TRIN

The European Standard of Technical Requirements for Inland Navigation Vessels (ES-TRIN) is a harmonised technical standard for the construction and equipment of inland vessels. It is developed by the European Committee for drawing up Standards in the field of Inland Navigation (CESNI) [4].

Since its initial publication in 2015, ES-TRIN has been regularly updated to take account of technical developments, new safety findings and practical experience from vessel operations. Transitional provisions regulate the conditions under which new technical requirements are to be applied gradually to the existing fleet [5].

Through Directive (EU) 2016/1629, ES-TRIN is incorporated into European and national law, thus forming the binding technical reference for the issuing of ship certificates within the European Union [6].

The Challenge: Complex Requirements for Existing Vessels

For older passenger vessels, individual technical requirements of ES-TRIN pose challenges. Structural characteristics may mean that requirements cannot be fully implemented or can only be implemented with considerable constructional and financial effort.

The transitional provisions have been developed over several years and are increasingly difficult to comprehend in their entirety. For operators, it is often challenging to understand which requirements apply at what point in time.

If the implementation of individual technical requirements is not possible or is disproportionate for technical or economic reasons, operators may submit so-called hardship applications. The assessment of such applications is regularly associated with increased administrative effort and requires a well-founded technical evaluation of the respective technical and economic conditions.

Navigating Multiple Perspectives

The implementation of the regulations is viewed from different perspectives, between which an appropriate balance is required:

European level: Ensuring a uniform and high level of safety in inland navigation. The technical requirements are based on safety findings and are intended to reduce risks to passengers, crew and the environment.

National authorities: Responsible for the legally sound application of ES-TRIN as a binding technical standard. They must ensure compliance with applicable law on the one hand, and make appropriate case-by-case decisions on the other.

Operators: Must consider the technical feasibility and economic viability of the requirements for their existing passenger vessels.

Project Objectives and Intended Impact

The guide being developed is intended to:

Make the application of transitional provisions more transparent
Create a structured basis for technical and economic assessments
Make decision-making processes more comprehensible
Reduce the administrative burden associated with individual case assessments and hardship applications
Identify recurring issues and potential systemic ambiguities in the regulatory framework

The project thus contributes to the practical application of ES-TRIN and creates added value for all stakeholders involved.