World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure
World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure
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World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure

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World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure

The World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC) is an international professional organisation founded in 1885. PIANC’s mission today is to provide expert guidance and technical advice on technical, economic and environmental issues pertaining to waterborne transport infrastructure, including the fields of navigable bodies of water (waterways), such as canals and rivers, as well as ports and marinas. It is headquartered in Brussels in offices provided by the Flemish government of Belgium. Its earlier names were the Association Internationale Permanente des Congres de Navigation (AIPCN) until 1921, then as the Permanent International Association of Navigation Congresses (PIANC). It is additionally known as the International Navigation Association (French: Association Internationale de Navigation).[citation needed]

On 25 May 1885, the first Inland Navigation Congress was held in Brussels, providing a forum for an international debate on these questions. After some years, the Inland Navigation Congress merged with the Ocean Navigation Congress and the International Navigation Congress was born. During the Congress in Paris, 1900, a Permanent International Commission for the Navigation Congresses was set up. Two years later statutes were adopted and PIANC was a born. Congresses are held every four years and are spread all over the world. In 1926 it was decided to release a Bulletin every half year to promote the contact between members. The Bulletin still exists, but now in the form of an electronic Magazine. In 1979 it was decided to establish permanent Technical Commissions and that Working Groups will be established under the umbrella of the Technical Commissions to study specific topics. The first Working Group report was issued in 1983 and over 100 others followed suit ().

PIANC changed considerably over the years, from an Association organising a Congress every four years, to an Association setting technical guidelines and publishing high ranking reports.

The association is composed of qualifying members, subscribing members and Honorary Members, who can be both legal and natural persons. The qualifying members of the association, having the right to vote in the general assembly, are:

PIANC operates with a President, a General Secretary and Vice-Presidents representing the main areas of the world. The main decision-making body is the General Assembly.

Membership is managed by National Sections and the PIANC Headquarters.

PIANC organizes the World Congress every four years in different areas of the world. Other periodic main events are: - SMART Rivers, focused on inland navigation infrastructure, - COPEDEC congresses, that are held in countries in transition, - Mediterranean Days of Coastal and Port Engineering, focused on the Mediterranean area.

The core business of PIANC are the Working Group Reports. Working Groups are composed of international experts that are tasked to prepare technical reports and guidelines in the fields of the waterborne navigation infrastructure design, construction and management. The Working Groups are created and managed by four technical commissions:

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