Current Condition and Economic Perspectives for Development of Inland Water Transport in Spatial Systems, with Particular Emphasis on the Regeneration of the E40 waterway

Transport system is an essential component in each country's economic infrastructure. It comprises several major subsystems including: air, road, rail, maritime and pipeline networks, as well as inland waterways. The harmonious interaction of these systems, based on the principles of modern logistics, ensures proper economic development of a given country by allowing free movement of goods and services. The aim of the article is to characterise the condition and economic prospects of the development of inland waterway transport in Poland, with a particular emphasis on analysing the E40 waterway revitalization plans. The study is based on the subject literature, own research, interviews, reports prepared by the European Union and the Polish government concerning the plans for development of inland water policy. The methods and techniques used in the article include: statistical analysis and field studies using bathymetric measurements with GPS technology. To investigate the morphology of the bed of the river Bug, the field work was carried out on the river section from the ferry crossing in Niemirow-Gnojno (Podlaskie Voivodeship) to the nearby village of Borsuki (Masovian Voivodeship).