Apply to InCom Working Groups 270 and 271
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The Inland Navigation Commission (InCom) of PIANC has opened the member nomination process for InCom Working Group 270 “Strategies to Prevent Negative Effects of External Threats in IW Infrastructure and Facilities” and InCom Working Group 271 “IW Guidelines for Navigation Availability Assessment”.
PIANC InCom WG 270 – Strategies to Prevent Negative Effects of External Threats in IW Infrastructure and Facilities
Inland waterway infrastructure is essential for maintaining safe and reliable navigation. While routine wear, aging, and navigation-related impacts are addressed through maintenance programs, infrastructure is increasingly affected by External Threats— harmful actions by third parties unrelated to planned navigation activities.
These threats may be intentional or unintentional and include vandalism, misuse of infrastructure, interference from nearby industrial or recreational activities, and impacts caused by visitors. Such actions can damage infrastructure, disrupt operations, increase maintenance costs, and affect navigation availability.
This Working Group will:
-Collect international case studies from waterway authorities
-Assess the consequences of External Threats on infrastructure and operations
-Identify and evaluate mitigation and prevention strategies
-Develop practical guidance to reduce negative impacts
The scope focuses on physical infrastructure impacts and excludes terrorism, cybersecurity, climate change, and natural deterioration.
The outcome will provide waterway administrators with structured strategies to strengthen resilience and protect inland navigation systems.
PIANC InCom WG 271 – IW Guidelines for Navigation Availability Assessment
This Working Group focuses on achieving high navigation availability and reliability for inland waterways, with locks as the primary reference infrastructure. Availability excludes planned maintenance and is critical for transport performance and logistic predictability.
WG 271 will:
-Develop methods to assess and optimize navigation availability from design to operation
-Provide recommendations for designers and operators, covering both new and existing infrastructure
-Address maintenance strategies, design–operation synergy, risk management, and responsibility sharing
-Evaluate the cost-benefit and mitigation measures required to reach high reliability
The guidance may also apply to tunnels, ship lifts, and moving bridges.
