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Oversight, inspections and sanctions in inland navigation

The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) oversees the inland navigation vessels that carry commercial cargo or paying passengers on inland waters in the Netherlands to ensure they follow the laws and regulations set out by the Government of the Netherlands. This contributes to safer inland waterways in the Netherlands.

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Collaboration in oversight

The ILT oversees inland navigation undertakings, recognised classification societies and expert agencies, boatmasters and crews, as well as companies involved in the transport of hazardous substances on inland waters in the Netherlands. 

To this end, the ILT collaborates with the police, Rijkswaterstaat (executive agency of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management), the port authorities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie, NLA (Netherlands Labour Authority), the Provinces of Fryslân, Groningen and Overijssel, the Municipalities of Aalsmeer and Amsterdam and Waterschap Rivierenland (Rivierenland Region Water Authority).

Inland navigation inspections

The ILT conducts 2 types of inspections on inland navigation vessels operating on inland waters in the Netherlands: company inspections and object inspections.

The ILT primarily focuses on market regulation (equal competitive conditions), rules for crew members (sailing and rest times, manning level and sailing logbooks) and areas where repeated violations of rules and regulations occur.

You are obliged to cooperate with an inspection according to Article 5:20 of the Algemene wet bestuursrecht, AWB (General Administrative Law Act, in Dutch). If you do not cooperate, you may receive a penalty. After you have paid the penalty, you must still cooperate with the inspection.

Fines and suspensions for violations of the rules and regulations

The ILT may issue warnings for certain violations of the Inland Navigation Act and the Working Hours Act. In case of serious or repeated violations, the ILT may impose a bestuurlijke boete (administrative fine, in Dutch), if you, for example, fail to provide certain information. You may request a betalingsregeling (payment scheme) if you cannot pay the fine at once.

If an inland navigation vessel does not meet the requirements, lacks valid mandatory certificates, provisional certificates, or other documents, or if safe navigation cannot be guaranteed for any other reason, the ILT may detain the vessel. The owner must ensure that the vessel complies with all rules and regulations before it is allowed to continue sailing.