Waterways and Shipping Office

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WSA Tönning an der Eider depot
Antenna tower of the WSA Wilhelmshaven
WSA Cuxhaven depot
Multi-purpose ship Arkona of the WSA Stralsund

The waterways and shipping authorities ( WSA , plural WSÄ ) in Germany are part of the organizational structure of the federal waterways and shipping administration (WSV). The number of formerly 39 waterways and shipping offices with over 130 outskirts and building yards is currently being reduced to 17 as part of a reform and restructured. The merged WSÄ lose their previous place names and will in future be named according to their area of ​​responsibility (e.g. WSA Neckar ).

The WSV Competence Adjustment Act of May 24, 2016 ( Federal Law Gazette I p. 1217 ) redesignated the Waterways and Shipping Offices and the Waterways and Shipping Administration.

Classification in the organizational structure

The waterways and shipping authorities are local authorities and form the lower level. Since May 1, 2013, they have been subordinate to the General Directorate for Waterways and Shipping , which in turn reports to the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI).

Areas of responsibility

Waterway area

In the infrastructure area, the waterways and shipping authorities perform the following sovereign tasks for the federal waterway and shipping administration:

  • Maintenance and operation of the federal waterways as well as the federally owned shipping facilities (such as locks, weirs, control centers, etc.)
  • Carrying out electricity police duties
  • Setting and operating shipping signs
  • Water level messages
  • Ice fighting (with our own icebreakers)

Inland shipping

According to the law on the tasks of the federal government in the field of inland navigation , the waterways and shipping authorities perform the following sovereign tasks for the waterway and shipping administration of the federal government:

  • Promotion of the inland fleet and inland waterway transport
  • Defense against dangers to the safety and ease of traffic as well as the prevention of dangers emanating from shipping (shipping police) and harmful environmental impacts within the meaning of the Federal Immission Control Act
  • Granting of permission to sail on federal waterways for watercraft

Maritime shipping

According to the law on the tasks of the federal government in the field of maritime shipping , the waterways and shipping authorities perform the following sovereign tasks for the federal waterway and shipping administration:

  • Promotion of the German merchant fleet and provision for maintaining the efficiency of the seaports
  • Defense against dangers to the safety and ease of traffic as well as the prevention of dangers emanating from maritime shipping (shipping police) and harmful environmental effects within the meaning of the Federal Immission Control Act
  • seaward of the boundaries of the territorial sea, shipping police, defense against dangers as well as the elimination of disturbances of public safety or order
  • Measures to fulfill tasks that are incumbent on the federal government in the field of maritime shipping based on other regulations

Others

The workforce of the entire waterway and shipping administration (including the higher authorities) included around 11,000 employees in 2019. In 2006 there were around 13,000 employees. The downsizing took place through savings targets in the federal budget and through the relocation of tasks to other federal agencies.

See also

Web links

Commons : Waterways and Shipping Office  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
  • Announcement of the local and factual responsibilities of waterway and shipping authorities from 6 June 2016 ( BAnz AT 07.06.2016 B2 )
  • Announcement of the locally and materially competent waterways and shipping authorities according to the dam ordinance, the ordinance on the prohibition of entering the Neustädter Bucht with certain vehicles, the restricted and warning area ordinance of 6 June 2016 ( BAnz AT 07.06.2016 B10 )

as well as the Ems Lot Ordinance

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Press release No. 097/2016: The WSV's new area-related office structure has been established. ( Memento from June 21, 2016 in the Internet Archive ), Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, June 17, 2016.
  2. ↑ GDWS - About us. Directorate-General for Waterways and Shipping, accessed February 25, 2019.