Being an inland waterway transport operator is unique because this term encompasses a diverse range of businesses: from small-scale boatmen to shipping companies that employ crews on a salaried basis. The operator manages a river fleet dedicated to the transport of goods, which may be in bulk, heavy, packaged or oversized.

Qualities and skills

• Organisation and coordination
• Knowledge of inland waterway transport regulations and related sectors (including ports)
• Knowledge of procedures relating to the river transport of goods
• Knowledge of the geography of rivers, canals and waterway structures, and the ability to read a river map
• Proficiency in a foreign language, particularly English
• One or more certificates are required to operate vessels (pleasure barges, goods transport vessels, etc.)
• Knowledge of and practical experience in the organisation of the national and international transport chain
• Regulations governing the transport of hazardous materials and products

Educational and training requirements

The role of inland waterway freight operations manager is open to those with a qualification equivalent to the A-level (general or vocational A-level) up to a two-year post-A-level qualification (BTS, BUT, or a diploma from the Institut Supérieur de la Navigation Intérieure – ISNI) in navigation, river transport and logistics.

It is also accessible through professional experience in the transport sector without a specific qualification.

Sectors and employers

For an inland waterway freight transport operations manager, employers are companies in the inland waterway freight transport sector. There are also similar roles with logistics providers involved in river transport, as well as in the field of passenger transport for river tourism.

Source: LH PORT CENTER – Further information at www.lhportcenter.com