[Digest] Financing mechanisms for decarbonisation and retrofitting of vessels for inland shipping

The study presentation took place on 4 November 2026, and focused on the following topics:

• The investment challenges associated with the costs of decarbonising inland waterway vessels and modernising supporting infrastructure.
• The reasons why existing financing mechanisms -including commercial and public resources, as well as bank financing for decarbonisation investments- are considered inadequate.
• The role that an EU policy framework could play by supporting a blended-finance model that combines grants, risk-sharing, and private funding.

The key conclusion of the presentation was that financing depends on bankability in the sense that private capital can be mobilised when policy enhances the certainty of cash flows, reduces implementation risks, and shares the remaining financial risks.
The Members welcomed the study as a valuable contribution to assessing financing challenges and identifying policy measures for the modernisation of inland waterway transport.