Different types of companies operate on the Danube. Shipping companies and private ship owners own one or more ships, whereas shipping and forwarding agents procure cargo space and offer it in bundles to different customers.

A list of companies that offer shipping services on the Danube can be found on the platform Blue Pages. This provides not only the contact details and specialist fields of the respective companies but also their shipping routes and fleet information.

Shipping companies are commercially organised companies which undertake the professional organisation and completion of transport services. In doing so, other company’s ships may also be brought into use. In both cases, more and more ships are being scheduled. Shipping companies are experts in preparing the transport on land before being transported (this is different to independent ship owners who are not normally using such land-based organisational activities).

In addition to shipping companies the previously mentioned private ship owners are also active in the market. The ship owners operating on the Austrian stretch of the Danube come mainly from EU states (Germany, Belgium and Holland). Most of these private ship owners own just one cargo vessel but a few own up to three. As a rule, ship owners are also the boat master and mostly have no land-based commercial office.

In many cases the shipping companies and private ship owners are organised into cooperatives. Shipping companies and ship owners frequently use the services of freighters who are specialised in inland navigation transportation and procure cargo space (transport capacity) in ships. Specialist forwarding agents and specialist forwarding business units for inland shipping also exist.

(Shipping) Agencies represent the interests of many shipping companies, primarily according to the region in which the vessel operates and the cargo type. They take care of all business activities of a commercial agent on behalf of the third party but also issue invoices in their own names. Their service includes the acquisition of cargo, compilation of documents, invoicing and collection of charges, processing of claims and much more.