Project: Deepening the Danube waterway between Straubing and Vilshofen; section Straubing-Deggendorf (Germany, 2019).
Project and Natura 2000 site description: Alternative solutions: IROPI justification: Meeting the objective of national and European transport policy: Deepening the Danube between Straubing and Vilshofen closes a gap in the existing waterway connection linking the North Sea to the Black Sea via the Rhine, the Main, the Main-Danube Canal and the Danube. Under the EU Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network, the Danube federal waterway forms part of the core network of the European TEN-T network, and is of high economic interest for Europe. Better connectivity for inland ports: The project will improve navigation conditions in the project area when water levels in the Danube are low. Unlike other modes of transport, shipping on the Danube still has free transport capacity, which could be used more efficiently by deepening the ship fairway. Safety and ease of navigation: The implementation of the project could reduce the frequency of accidents from anticipated 55,4 to 42,4 per year, despite the increase in traffic. Predicted increase in transport: The freight volume is expected to increase from 7.0 million tonnes/year (2007) to 9,7 million tonnes/year by 2025 or to increase by 50 % to 10,5 million tonnes/year. Proposed compensatory measures: Commission’s opinion (full version published at: (https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/management/opinion_en.htm):
Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-25 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.