The Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) is an international organisation that plays a key role in the navigation of the Rhine. Its main objectives are to ensure good navigation conditions on the Rhine and to promote shipping that is safe and respectful of the environment on the waterways. It is active in technical, legal, economic, social and environmental domains. Many of the CCNR’s activities now go beyond the Rhine itself and encompass European inland navigation in the broadest sense.
The CCNR is composed of five Member States (Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland) and works more and more closely with the European Commission, in particular within the framework of the European Committee for the Development of Standards in Inland Navigation (CESNI).
Located in Strasbourg and made up of an international team of about 30 persons, the CCNR is seeking to recruit for its Secretariat an intern to support notably regulatory work concerning inland vessels and the greening of the fleet. The intern will work under the supervision of the naval technical and the economic administrator of the secretariat.
The CCNR has set itself the objective of largely eliminating greenhouse gas and other inland navigation pollutant emissions by 2050. The CCNR considers that an emission labelling system for inland navigation whose basic purpose would be to indicate the environmental performance of a vessel (in terms of greenhouse gases and air pollutant emissions) could be an efficient tool to support the energy transition of the sector. To date, a variety of schemes exist to indicate the environmental performance of an inland vessel, however each relying on different methodology, measurement methods or scope. Within CESNI, the CCNR committed to develop a draft standard relating to a methodology for measuring and calculating emissions from inland vessels as well as defining emission classes. While a preliminary proposal was submitted for air pollutants and for greenhouse gases, preparatory work and coordination with Member States remains necessary towards the finalisation of such a standard, including in defining of emission classes. The intern is also expected to contribute to the implementation of follow-up measures based on this standard.
In accordance with the mandate given by the Ministerial Declaration of Mannheim, the CCNR developed a roadmap aiming at largely eliminating greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants of the inland navigation sector by 2050, a long-term vision which is also shared by the European Union. As foreseen in the roadmap adopted in 2021, the CCNR now plans to revise its roadmap and the corresponding action plan by 2030. This requires revising the study that served as a basis for drafting this roadmap. This study relates to the economic and technical evaluation of the technologies contribution to a zero-emission inland navigation sector. The intern will be asked to support with the launching and overseeing of the study evaluating technologies that support a zero-emission inland navigation sector. The intern’s tasks include, amongst others, preparing the tender process, coordinating with Member States representatives and monitoring the progress.
The CCNR roadmap for reducing emissions in inland navigation outlines transition paths for the fleet and identifies a number of potential financial, regulatory and voluntary measures. CCNR regularly monitors the implementation of this roadmap through dedicated meetings with Member States’ representatives. The intern will be asked to prepare the next meeting with Member States’ representatives scheduled for 16 April 2026 and to contribute to the execution of measures outlined in the CCNR’s roadmap for reducing emissions.
In accordance with the roadmap for reducing emissions in inland navigation, the CCNR developed a database on innovative vessels. It relies on available data compiled within the framework of the Inspection Regulation Committee of the CCNR and desk research (articles, specialised magazines ...). An annual update of this database is foreseen. The intern will be asked to conduct desk research to update this database and to report on it. In addition, an evaluation of the market for engines for inland vessels appears desirable to measure the impact of the NRMM regulation on emission limits that entered into force in 2020. A first report was prepared in 2025 on this topic. The intern will be involved in collecting additional data and updating this report accordingly.
Finally and especially in the framework of CESNI, the CCNR Secretariat is involved in other work to improve safety and reduce the environmental impact of inland vessels to which the intern might contribute.
The tasks entrusted with these five activities include drafting meeting agendas, preparing summaries of contributions from Member States and sector representatives, data research, drafting analysis documents and contributing to research projects.
The person applying for the internship should be a master student in engineering, political science or equivalent. He or she should ideally have the following skills:
Please send a motivation letter and a CV before 16 December 2025 to the following email address: [email protected].
In case of questions regarding the content of the tasks, please contact Benjamin Boyer ([email protected]).
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