50-Years Inland Waterway Freight Data in the Rhine-Alpine Corridor

To support a modal shift toward sustainable freight solutions, such as inland waterway transport (IWT), researchers and practitioners require long-term historical data on IWT freight flows. However, such comprehensive time series have been unavailable until now. This study addresses this gap by presenting a harmonized dataset encompassing 50 years (1970-2023) of IWT freight data across Europe, with a focus on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. The dataset includes transport volumes (in tonnes) and transport performance (in ton-kilometers), classified according to NST-R, NST2007, and CCR nomenclatures. To ensure data continuity and completeness, processing techniques-including imputation and optical character recognition-were applied. The dataset offers valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and transport planners aiming to comprehend and enhance the role of IWT in Europe's freight transport landscape.