Exploration (future) use and design of waterways

The province of Drenthe manages approximately 174 kilometres of waterways. In recent years, there has been a decline in both recreational and commercial shipping. For the Province of Drenthe, this is reason to reconsider the organisation of its operations. Ecorys has developed four scenarios for the (future) operation of bridges and locks in Drenthe with which a decision regarding the future operation of locks and bridges can be further substantiated.

Background

The waterways in Drenthe are mainly used by recreational shipping and are highly concentrated in the summer months, during which about 70% of annual passages occur. Commercial shipping is very modest in size. Depending on the route, it averages 1-2 vessels per week and takes place throughout the year. Besides a decline in both reaction and commercial shipping in recent times, future trends also do not indicate a growth in the number of passages.

Ecorys has taken a closer look at the possible consequences of a declining need for service. The study addresses:

• Exploring future developments in response shipping and commercial shipping in Drenthe.
• Four scenarios to substantiate a decision regarding the operation of structures, plus a reference scenario.
• Quantifying the financial and operational impact.
• Preparing a list of recommendations for the province of Drenthe.

Key findings

In Drenthe, as in other provinces, a slight decline in recreational boating is visible. The current Drenthe policy (“de basis op orde”) is therefore committed to maintaining existing facilities. This policy does not expect substantial growth. Nor will the policies of neighbouring provinces ensure growth in recreational boating in Drenthe.

In the future, commercial shipping appears to be shifting to larger vessels on larger waterways. This will further shrink the already low Drenthe commercial shipping.

Per scenario, the operating costs of bridges and locks change. This change ranges between a decrease of almost €550,000 and an increase of almost €92,000. This amount depends on the extent to which operation is gereld from a central point, and whether operation time is shortened or extended.

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