The Council of Ministers adopted a draft amendment to the Inland Navigation Act

The Polish Press Agency stated that the change of regulations concerns the first reorganization of the local inland waterway administration due to the planned development of inland waterway transport in Poland, especially in Wisla and Oder.

The reorganization of the local administration is intended to strengthen the inland waterway transport authorities in Bydgoszcz, Wrocław and Szczecin, and to adapt them to perform new tasks resulting from the water law which has been in force since 1 January. The Government Information Centre told PAP that these changes are necessary due to the planned "intense development of inland waterway transport in Poland, especially in Wisla and Oder".

Currently there are eight inland waterway transport offices in Poland. They have their headquarters in Bydgoszcz, Giżyck, Gdańsk, Kędzierzyn-Koźl, Kraków, Szczecin, Warsaw and Wrocław. According to the Government Information Centre, the structure of such offices is not adapted to new tasks arising from water law. Moreover, the current structure, according to the Government Information Centre, "does not ensure active policies in the field of inland waterway transport and its active promotion". After the changes, the local authorities of the inland waterway administration will be the directors of offices in Bydgoszcz, Wrocław and Szczecin. The five remaining offices will be converted into delegations.

"For the Inland Shipping Office in Bydgoszcz, delegations in Gdańsk, Giżyck and Warsaw will be established, and for the Inland Shipping Office in Wrocław – the Delegations in Kędzierzyn-Koźl and Kraków", the Government Information Centre submitted. The allocation of delegations to these offices takes into account the division of Poland into basins of the two most important rivers for inland waterway transport, i.e. Vistula and Odra.

PAP stated that the directors would be given new tasks, such as agreeing planning and investment documents, issuing administrative decisions, acting as an investor in activities related to the construction, reconstruction and modernisation of inland waterways of particular transport importance.

The Polish Press Agency emphasises that the new regulations will reduce the costs of operating the entire local inland waterway administration. The amended provisions are to enter into force on the first day of the month following the announcement of the amendment.