The Rhine is one of the most important international waterways of the earth and the most important waterway in Europe. The transport volume and the transport capacity of the Rhine between Rheinfelden near Basel and the German-Dutch border in 2002 amounted to about 200 million tons / year. Its importance will continue to increase. Compared to 2002, an increase in freight transport by an average of 2 to 3 percent per year is expected for the year 2015 for the Rhine.
Compared to other modes of transport, the barge is quite environmentally friendly , while inland waterways continues to confront directly and indirectly to deterioration of ecological quality and the water quality of the Rhine at. 2007 authorized the competent Ministers of the Rhine States, the ICPR - together with the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine - with the elucidation of IWT with regard to the risks intentionally or unintentionally successful pollutant losses that are still recorded.
More impact of shipping include the action of waves on the shore communities, the formation of swirls marine propellers, to artificial water turbidity and resuspension of sediments leads and the spread of other animal and plant species .
The Rhine was expanded from the mouth into the North Sea at Rotterdam to Basel / Rheinfelden over a length of 800 kms through the commercial shipping. Through the expansion of the Rhine for shipping and hydropower use the natural was the mid-19th century floodplain pushed back to 15 percent and the ecological continuity impaired.