Navigation characteristics of the Danube and its influence on the main dimensions of the river-sea ships

Abstract

The development of the cargo transportation in river-sea traffic depends directly on technical-exploitative characteristics of the network of inland waterways, which enable navigational connections between riverbeds and the seas. Research of navigational abilities on inland waterways and near-shore sea itineraries always come before building ships which are the most suitable for these conditions on rivers and seas. Serbia and Montenegro have good economic and geographic conditions for transportation of the cargo in river-sea traffic. Two major directions can be separated: the Danube-East and the Danube-West. On the direction Danube-East the ways of cargo transportation can be: river-sea (the Danube-Black Sea), sea-river (Black Sea - the Danube) and wider (the Danube-Black Sea-Dnepr or the Danube-Black Sea-Don-Volga etc.). In this paper both technical and exploitative characteristics of the river Danube will be analysed, on it's sector downstream from Apatin to it's mouth in the Black Sea, taking in concern the ability for navigation of river-sea vessels of different dimensions and capacity. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group.