Economic evaluation of removing nautical bottlenecks on inland waterways

This thesis develops a comprehensive cost–benefit analysis (CBA) framework to evaluate the socio-economic impacts of resolving nautical bottlenecks on inland waterways, with a particular focus on the Danube. The study addresses the lack of standardized evaluation tools capable of capturing the cumulative and interdependent effects of infrastructure improvements along river corridors. Drawing on a modular, model-based approach, the research identifies and operationalizes key performance indicators (KPIs) such as transport costs, duration, fuel consumption, and vessel draft. The model quantifies the economic and social benefits of removing bottlenecks under different navigational scenarios and incorporates a greedy algorithm to prioritize investment projects according to their aggregated benefits. Results from the case study on the Middle and Lower Danube show that isolated rehabilitation measures generate only limited benefits, while coordinated interventions across neighboring bottlenecks lead to disproportionately high socio-economic gains. These findings highlight the importance of integrated, corridor-wide planning strategies in enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of inland waterway transport. The developed framework provides a transparent and transferable basis for policy-making and investment appraisal in the inland navigation sector, advancing both scientific methodology and practical decision-making in sustainable transport infrastructure.