France inland waterway freight: transit tonne-kilometres
France inland waterway freight: transit tonne-kilometres stood at 58 million tonne-km in Q2 2026, according to Eurostat – inland waterway transport, quarterly (iww_go_qnave), data from VNF / SDES. It is one of the indicators in the Inland waterway freight table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 1982 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Inland waterway freight table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tonne-kilometres | |||||||||||
| Transit | 58 | 54 | 67 | 64 | 52 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 56 | |
| Total transport | 1,494 | 1,436 | 1,620 | 1,572 | 1,406 | 1,387 | 1,474 | 1,390 | 1,604 | 1,574 |
Understanding france inland waterway freight: transit tonne-kilometres
Transport output generated exclusively by foreign-to-foreign cargo traversing domestic waterways without being loaded or unloaded locally is quantified by this metric, expressed as the product of transit weight and distance traveled within national borders. This indicator isolates international shipments passing from one foreign origin to another foreign destination through the domestic river network, leaving out all national cabotage and bilateral import-export flows. By excluding domestic freight handling, this measure focuses strictly on the transit corridor utilization of the waterway infrastructure by international vessel operators.
Assessing this series demands careful attention to upstream or downstream European waterway conditions, as navigational disruptions outside domestic borders directly alter transit volumes entering the network. Early figures are derived from preliminary lock and border reports that undergo routine administrative revision. Analysts should rely on annual same-quarter comparisons to neutralize regular logistical cycles and avoid confusing transit output shifts with domestic industrial production trends.
Frequently asked questions
- What freight is included in this transit metric?
- Only cargo originating abroad and destined for another foreign country that passes through domestic waterways without stopping for local loading or unloading.
- How does this differ from total tonne-kilometres?
- It isolates international transit traffic, completely excluding domestic shipments and bilateral cross-border trade that begins or ends within the country.
- Why might transit output fluctuate independently of local industry?
- Because these movements depend on broader European trade corridors and continental river conditions rather than domestic economic activity.