This B2B meeting event offered a space for logistics managers wanting to find out how to "add water" to their logistics supply chain, as well as for waterway operators to reach out to new markets.

During the two days of riverdating, decision makers took appointments with waterway services providers to find greener and optimized waterway solutions for transporting their goods. These appointments were arranged in advance.

Also on hand at the conference were local and national development advisors to give shippers guidance on setting up multi-modal transport projects and to offer them technical support.

This unique concept, developed by Voies navigables de France, has a proven track record of efficiency, as shown through two succesful VNF meetings in France. This more focussed approach was an excellent practical counter-point to the theoretical part of the conference.

Waterways provide a pollution free way for goods to reach the heart of cities, and are being adopted by more and more shippers and purchasers, thanks to these advantages:

• Economies of scale - a 5,000 tonne river convoy can carry the same amount of goods as five full trains or 250 lorries.
• Reliability and just in time solutions - because there are no traffic jams on waterways, delivery times can be guaranteed
• Reduced pollution - every tonne transferred from roads to waterways reduces CO₂ emissions
• Energy savings - 3.7 times lower consumption than road transport in terms of petrol equivalent per tonne transported
• Safety - accidents on waterways are rare, making them an ideal medium for unusual loads and dangerous materials
• Reduced noise pollution - waterways traffic is much quieter than other modes.