Inland waterway transport traditionally offers excellent safety levels and causes the lowest accident costs compared to other transport modes.

It is not least for this reason that inland waterway transport accounts for approximately 80% of all dangerous goods transports in Europe, although a uniform legal framework is still to be established. The European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways (ADN) is to ensure the binding introduction of joint provisions for dangerous goods transports on all inland waterways in Europe and thus guarantee compliance with the relevant international safety standards. The ratification process is currently underway.

Since the design of a ship essentially influences the impact of an accident, design-related improvements, such as the double hull and new hull types which absorb a great amount of the impact energy, further enhance safety levels. Moreover, such designs also allow an increased deadweight and hence a higher loading capacity.

Apart from design-related developments, the introduction of inland navigation information services (RIS) will additionally raise safety levels in inland waterway transport.