Classification of European Inland Waterways

Structures such as the Niederfinow Boat Lift limit the dimensions of vessels. As of 2012 a second lift is being constructed to a larger size.

The Classification of European Inland Waterways is a set of standards for interoperability of large navigable waterways forming part of the Trans-European Inland Waterway network within Continental Europe and Russia. It was created by the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT; French: Conférence européenne des ministres des Transports, CEMT) in 1992, hence the range of dimensions are also referred to as CEMT Class I–VII.

The size for each waterway is limited by the dimensions of the structures including the locks and boat lifts on the route.

Classification

Class I corresponds to the historical Freycinet gauge decreed in France during 1879. The larger river classification sizes are focused on the carriage of intermodal containers in convoys of barges propelled by a push-tug. Most of the canals of the United Kingdom have smaller locks and would fall below the dimensions in the European classification system. In 2004, the standards were extended with four smaller sizes RA–RD covering recreational craft, which had originally been developed and proposed via PIANC. The proposal to add the recreational sizes was adopted by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe resolution 52. In 2015 an updated version was published.

Type of inland waterways	Classes of navigable waterways	Motor vessels and barges					Pushed convoys				Minimum height under bridges (m)
		Designation	Length (m)	Breadth (m)	Draught (m)	Tonnage (t)	Length (m)	Breadth (m)	Draught (m)	Tonnage (t)
For recreational navigation	RA	Open boat	5.5	2.00	0.50						2.00
	RB	Cabin cruiser	9.5	3.00	1.00						3.25
	RC	Motor yacht	15.0	4.00	1.50						4.00
	RD	Sailing boat	15.0	4.00	2.10						30.00
Of regional importance to east of Elbe	I	Gross Finnow	41	4.7	1.40	180					3.0
	II	BM–500	57	7.5–9.0	1.60	500–630
	III		67–70	8.2–9.0	1.60–2.00	470–700	118–132	8.2–9.0	1.6–2.0	1,000–1,200	4.0
Of regional importance to west of Elbe	I	Barge	38.5	5.05	1.80–2.20	250–400
	II	Kampine-Barge	50.0–55.0	6.6	2.50	400–650					4.0–5.0
	III	Gustav Koenigs	67.0–80.0	8.2	2.50	650–1,000
Of international importance	IV	Johann Welker	80.0–85.0	9.5	2.50	1,000–1,500	85	9.5	2.5–2.8	1,250–1,450	5.25 or 7.00
	Va	Large Rhine class					95–110	11.4	2.5–4.5	1,600–3,000	5.25 or 7.00 or 9.10
	Vb	1×2 convoy					172–185			3,200–6,000
	VIa	2×1 convoy					95–110	22.8			7.00 or 9.10
	VIb	2×2 convoy	140.0	15.0	3.90		185–195			6,400–12,000
	VIc	2×3 convoy					270–280		2.5–4.0	9,600–18,000	9.10
		3×2 convoy					195–200	33.0–34.2	2.5–4.5
	VII	3×3 convoy					285			14,500–27,000

See also

• Unified Deep Water System of European Russia (110-210m length max, min lock beam 14.3m, 2,5-3.5-4m draft)
• Baltimax (15,2m draft, the same as NeoPanamax)
• Bangkok Port (172m length, 25m beam -with special permit 30m-, 8,2m draft), Bangkokmax of 1944 TEU
• Seawaymax (USA Great Lakes docks, 8,08m draft), Chesapeake & Delaware Canal (draft 10,7m)
• Paraguay River (almost 2,5m in middle river, 1,6m in upper river)
• Grand Canal (China)
• Saimaa Canal (Finland, max length 82,5 m, beam 12,6m, draft 4,2m)
• Rhine–Main–Danube Canal for ships of 110x11,45x2,5m (up to 135m length with a special permit)

Publications including the full classification table

• Waterway article including a reference to the European classification
• Map of the European Inland Waterway Network, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (4th edition, Geneva 2012), without the recreational navigation categories. Waterway Standards.
• European Waterways Map and Directory, 5th ed., David Edwards-May (Transmanche, 2014), ISBN 979-1-094429-00-6