The Law on Support for Inland Waterway Shipowners enters

The possibility of financial support for inland waterway owners in the form of preferential loans for the purchase, modernisation or repair of inland vessels is provided for in the Act on financial support for inland waterway owners, the Inland Navigation Fund and the Reserve Fund, which enters into force on 9 November.

The Act also introduces the possibility of support through redemption of some of the loans granted or refinancing of the purchase of ship equipment.

The scope of potential beneficiaries has also been extended. They become owners of passenger ships, maintenance and technical ships and foreign shipowners.

The law prepared by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Inland Waterway Transport aims to enable the development and modernisation of the inland waterway fleet by providing financial support to shipowners from the Inland Waterway Fund, while taking into account environmental objectives and positive economic effects.

The law brings Polish law into line with the recommendations of the European Commission for the correct application of state aid rules in the operation of the Inland Waterway Fund. The functioning of the Reserve Fund has also been brought into line with European law. New solutions should also increase the efficiency of the use of the Inland Waterway Transport Fund.

Author: Łukasz Pawłowski