After the crisis-related economic downturn in 2009, waterborne cargo transhipment on the Danube has witnessed a favourable development. In 2010, the Austrian Danube ports and transhipment sites succeeded in recovering nearly all of the losses of the previous year: Overall, in 2010, close to 8.8 million tons of goods were handled on the water side. This is equivalent to an increase of 22.2% or 1.6 million tons over 2009. While in 2010 all Danube ports and transhipment sites recorded a clear increase compared to the previous year, they did not fully reach the level of 2008.

With 3.9 million tons of goods and a share of 45% in the total water transhipment volume of Danube ports and transhipment sites, the private port of voestalpine in Linz remained the most important Austrian Danube port concerning the water-side handling of goods. Compared to 2009, this represents an increase of 21.9% or 705,454 tons.

Two ports scored with exceptional figures in 2010: The ports of Linz AG registered a water transhipment volume of close to 1.3 million tons (+37.1% or 339,265 tons), while the port of Enns-Ennsdorf reported 666,951 tons (+25.4% or 134,927 tons). In 2010, these ports even surpassed the balance of 2008.

With an increase of 11.6% or 117,994 tons over 2009, the port of Vienna managed to reach an overall water transhipment volume of more than 1.1 million tons. In the port of Krems, 350,218 tons of goods (+91,197 tons) were handled on the water side, which amounts to an increase of 35.2% over 2009.

The other Austrian ports and transhipment sites (including Aschach, the heavy cargo port of Linz, Mauthausen, Wallsee, Ardagger, Ybbs, Pöchlarn, Pischelsdorf and Korneuburg) were able to continue the positive trend of 2008 and recorded an increase of 16.7% or 206,497 tons, equalling to a total of more than 1.4 million tons of goods in 2010. Due to provisions on data privacy protection, the water transhipment volumes of these ports and transhipment sites cannot be presented in more detail.

Apart from the 45%-share of the port of voestalpine Linz in the total water transhipment volume recorded by the Austrian Danube ports and transhipment sites, the quantitative shares accounted for by the other ports and transhipment sites are as follows: 16% others, 14% Linz AG, 13% Hafen Wien, 8% Enns-Ennsdorf and 4% Krems.