According to the Notices to Skippers 74/00/2008 that proclaimed the amendment concerning the Waterways Traffic Regulations BGB. II Nr. 186/2008 vessels travelling on the Danube waterway in the section between River-kilometers 1880.200 and 2199.300, the waterways of the rivers Traun, Enns and March or the Vienna Danube Canal must be equipped with an AIS Inland transponder. This obligation does not apply to vessels in a pushed convoy, coupled vessels of a convoy, non-free running ferries and small vessels.

Supply of lend-equipment for transit
Upon timely prior arrangement (at least 12 hours in advance), vessels not carrying transponders after July 1st, 2008 can be equipped by via donau or an authorised partner company with a portable device before entering Austria from 00:00 to 24:00, 7 days a week. The lend-equipment is only provided for the passage through Austria and must be demounted when leaving the Austrian stretch.

Registration for mounting/demounting of the lend-equipment
The skippers need to register for mounting/demounting of the lend-equipment at least 12 hours in advance calling the telephone number corresponding to their shipping route. Due to simultaneous reservations for installations at the beginning of the transponder obligation one has to take waiting hours in account. When registering not within the 12 hours time limit the user cannot raise a claim for mounting/demounting of the transponder. The exact time for the mounting/demounting will be agreed by telephone between the skipper and the authorised partner company.

Telephone numbers in order to register for mounting/demounting
These telephone numbers can be reached 24 hours a day and are in operation starting June, 30th 2008
Telephone number for entering/leaving the West (Passau): +43 50 4321 8810
Telephone number for entering/leaving the East (Bratislava): +43 50 4321 8890

Installation sites
German-Austrian boarder:
• Passau River-km 2226,7 - 2227,0 right bank (Pegel Passau Donau),
• Passau River-km 2228,6 - 2229,2 left bank (Stelzlhof),
• Passau River-km 2231,6 - 2232,4 right bank (Heining)
Austrian-Slovak boarder:
• Bratislava River-km 1867,0 left bank
• Port of Bratislava

Supply of lend-equipment for ships in Austria
Vessels travelling only the Austrian section or vessels that know that they are going to be in Austria when the transponder obligation comes into force should immediately contact via donau at +43 (0) 50 4321-1704, Mrs. Mag.(FH) Fleischhacker. The preferred installation sites will be within the area of Vienna and Persenbeug.

Necessary preparations for the mounting
Users are obliged to observe their agreed installation appointments and must ensure that sufficient space (50cm x 35cm x 15cm) and an appropriate uniform voltage (preferably 230V AC, alternatively also 24V DC) is available on board of their vessels and that two antenna cables can be safely lead through. In case of failure to comply the agreed installation times and necessary preparations by the user, via donau reserves itself the right to charge the user with incurred expenses.

Security deposit
The devices can only be made available against a security deposit of 500,- Euros following conclusion of a user framework agreement as well as the signing of the installation protocol. No other modes of payment will be accepted, and there will be no exemptions from the cash deposit requirement or the need to sign the user agreement and the installation protocol.

User framework agreement
The user framework agreement (download here only in german or we can send on request) regulates the conditions for the loan supply of the transportable lend equipment owned by via donau. This agreement has to be signed by the person in charge of the ship for the shipping company and for all the other corresponding ships of the company. The other ship names will be noted in the annex of the agreement. The next time the ship gets the lend equipment the date of the agreement signing only has to be filled out in the installation protocol. Thereby all other ships of the company (that are listed in the annex of the agreement) have to sign only the installation protocol. By request the user framework agreement can be signed in advance and the deposit transferred to via donau

Installation Protocol
After finishing the mounting/demounting works the person in charge of the ship as well as the partner company confirm by signing the installation protocol the proper mounting/demounting of the transponder and the takeover/return of the deposit.

For further questions please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Mag.(FH) Marketa Fleischhacker at tel +43 (0) 50 4321-1704 or email to marketa.fleischhacker   via-donau.org.