Inland ports: Europe's Achilles heel and NATO's underestimated pillar for military mobility

Inland ports as cornerstones of military mobility in Europe

The new reality of European defense and the renaissance of logistics

The turning point and the return of geography

Europe's security landscape has fundamentally changed. The revitalization of national and alliance defense has become the core mission of NATO and its member states. In this new paradigm, Europe's geography is no longer merely an economic reality, but above all a strategic one. Credible deterrence and a robust defense capability are not based solely on the existence of modern combat troops. Rather, the ability to deploy these forces rapidly, in large numbers, and over long distances under resilient conditions is crucial. The speed and volume of these deployments have become a direct indicator of the Alliance's resolve and capacity to act.

Logistics as a strategic factor

In this context, logistics has evolved from a purely supportive function to a central strategic factor. The ability to rapidly deploy forces (rapid deployment) is crucial for responding to crises before they escalate. The efficiency of logistics chains determines victory or defeat. A potential aggressor evaluates not only NATO's nominal combat strength, but above all its ability to concentrate this strength at a critical point. A visible, well-functioning, and redundant logistics infrastructure signals high readiness and rapid response capabilities. This demonstration of logistical competence increases the credibility of deterrence, as it directly influences the costs and risks of an attack for the aggressor. An investment in the logistics infrastructure is therefore also an investment in the Alliance's deterrent effect.

Inland ports as the key to military mobility in Europe

Inland ports and their associated waterways are a critical, yet systematically underestimated, factor for military mobility in Europe. They provide indispensable capacity for the transport of heavy and oversized military equipment, relieve the burden on chronically congested rail and road networks, and increase the resilience of the entire NATO logistics chain. Their upgrading is therefore not purely a transport policy imperative, but a top-priority defense policy necessity.

The “Hub Germany”: Geostrategic role and multimodal transport corridors

Germany's central role in host country support

Due to its geographical location in the heart of Europe, Germany serves as a central transit and deployment area for allied forces and is therefore referred to as NATO's "hub." Within the framework of host nation support, Germany is responsible for the national task of ensuring the deployment and supply of allied and its own armed forces. This complex task is coordinated in the "Operations Plan Germany," which regulates civil-military cooperation between federal ministries, states, and municipalities and is aligned with NATO's needs.

The “model corridor” to the eastern flank

A key initiative to improve military mobility is the "model corridor" agreed upon in January 2024 between Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland. Its goal is to organize seamless military traffic from west to east in the event of an alliance. The focus is on transporting troops, equipment, and supplies from the deep-sea ports in the North Sea, where reinforcements from the United States in particular land, to NATO's particularly exposed eastern flank. To achieve the necessary resilience and capacity, this corridor must integrate all modes of transport – road, rail, and waterway – While concentrating on defined corridors consolidates traffic and maximizes efficiency, it also makes these axes predictable and highly attractive targets for sabotage, cyberattacks, or conventional attacks. Inland waterways, which often run parallel to these main axes, provide a completely separate infrastructure and thus essential redundancy. The ability to switch to waterways in the event of disruption on rail or road is therefore a fundamental building block of a resilient overall strategy.

Integration into European frameworks (TEN-T and CEF)

The upgrading of transport routes for military purposes is closely linked to civilian EU infrastructure programs. The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) forms the basis for the definition of military corridors. Investments in this dual-use infrastructure – that is, for civilian use but upgraded for military purposes – are co-financed by the EU's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). This approach recognizes that military and civilian transport networks largely overlap and that synergies must be exploited. In applying for CEF funding, Germany has focused on improving the rail infrastructure on the TEN-T North Sea-Baltic core network corridor, for example, by upgrading bridges and expanding passing tracks for 740-meter-long freight trains.

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Inland waterways: A strategic advantage for heavy transport

Mass capacity for heavy and large goods

Inland waterway transport is ideal for the transport of heavy and oversized military equipment (heavy and bulky goods). Modern weapon systems such as the Leopard 2 main battle tank, which weighs over 60 tons, or self-propelled howitzers often exceed the load limits of many bridges and roads. A single modern inland waterway vessel can carry the load of up to 100 trucks or an entire freight train, enabling the transport of entire tank companies in a closed formation. The main advantage lies not only in its transport capacity, but in its ability to maintain the operational integrity of combat units during deployments. A military unit is more than the sum of its vehicles; its combat effectiveness depends on its cohesion. While road transport breaks a unit down into dozens of individual heavy-duty transport vehicles that arrive over several days and must be laboriously reassembled, a pushed convoy on the waterway can transport the entire unit at once. The unit arrives together, which drastically reduces the time to operational readiness (time to deployment) at the destination and represents a decisive operational advantage in the event of a crisis.

Relief of critical infrastructures

Shifting heavy transport to water significantly relieves the burden on rail and road networks, which are chronically congested and in need of renovation. This creates urgently needed capacity for more time-critical or lighter goods, as well as for personnel transport. Unlike road and rail, inland waterways still have considerable capacity reserves on key corridors.

Operational flexibility and reliability

Inland waterway vessels also offer significant operational advantages. They can operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as they are not subject to night-time driving bans or noise abatement regulations that often hamper military transport by road and rail. This enables continuous and more predictable deployments. Inland waterway transport is also less prone to congestion and is characterized by a high degree of adherence to schedules. Although secondary for military planning, lower transport costs and lower energy consumption are also positive side effects that can offer budgetary advantages, especially for large-scale exercises or long-term deployments.

Inland ports as critical logistics hubs: requirements for dual-use infrastructure

The port as a trimodal interface

Inland ports are the crucial hubs in the logistics chain. As trimodal terminals, they link waterways, rail, and road, thus enabling the seamless onward transport of goods landed by water. The military suitability of a port is not determined by its total throughput, but rather by the presence of a few, highly specialized "bottleneck assets." A port can handle millions of tons of bulk cargo per year and still be unsuitable for transporting a single main battle tank if the specific equipment is lacking.

Technical and infrastructural requirements

Specific technical and infrastructural requirements are essential for the handling of large military equipment.

Envelope technologies (superstructure):

Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo): Fixed or mobile ramps with sufficient load capacity and width for heavy tracked vehicles are required. Although RoRo ramps are available in principle in German inland ports, they are rarely used, and it remains to be determined whether they meet military requirements. Lift-on/Lift-off (LoLo): For the vertical handling of tanks, bridge elements, or heavy containers, heavy-duty cranes (mobile harbor cranes, gantry cranes) with lifting capacities of over 100 tons are essential. The fact that cranes are explicitly excluded from CEF funding for military mobility represents a critical and counterproductive deficit, as it ignores the core of cargo handling.

Infrastructure requirements:

Harbor basins and quayside facilities: Sufficient quay lengths are required for the berthment of large pushed convoys, as well as guaranteed water depths that enable reliable operation even at low tide. Storage and staging areas: There is a high demand for large, paved, and secured areas. These are used for the temporary storage of vehicles and materials, as well as for the establishment of rest and assembly areas (convoy support centers). The areas must withstand high ground pressure and meet adequate safety standards.

The following table summarizes the requirements profile for a military-grade inland port terminal and can serve as a planning tool for the evaluation and upgrading of sites.

Requirements profile of a military-grade inland port terminal

Requirements profile of a military-grade inland port terminal – Image: Xpert.Digital

The requirements profile of a military-grade inland port terminal includes various criteria that define the minimum military standard. The infrastructure must have a guaranteed water depth of more than 2.80 meters to ensure operation even at low tide. The quay length should be over 200 meters to allow for the berthment of pushed convoys. The superstructure requires a LoLo crane capacity of more than 100 tons for handling battle tanks and heavy equipment, while the RoRo ramp load capacity must be at least 70 tons to ensure the loading of tracked vehicles. Over 20,000 square meters of paved heavy-duty areas are required for the provision and temporary storage of a company. Secured storage areas with fencing and access control protect material and personnel. In terms of connectivity, a rail connection with a length of over 740 meters is required to enable the handling of long military freight trains. Finally, there should be a direct road connection to the motorway or federal highway to ensure rapid onward transport.

Container terminal systems for road, rail, and sea in the dual-use logistics concept of heavy-duty logistics – Creative image: Xpert.Digital

In a world characterized by geopolitical upheavals, fragile supply chains, and a new awareness of the vulnerability of critical infrastructure, the concept of national security is undergoing a fundamental reassessment. A state's ability to ensure its economic prosperity, the supply of its population, and its military capability increasingly depends on the resilience of its logistics networks. In this context, the term "dual-use" is evolving from a niche category of export control to a overarching strategic doctrine. This shift is not merely a technical adaptation, but a necessary response to the "turning point" that requires the profound integration of civilian and military capabilities.

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The Achilles heel of the alliance: systemic deficits and vulnerabilities

Despite its strategic importance, the logistics chain, which relies on inland waterways and ports, is characterized by significant vulnerabilities and systemic deficiencies.

Infrastructure decay: The investment backlog as a strategic risk

Germany's waterway infrastructure is suffering from a massive investment backlog and is in a partially dilapidated state. Locks and weirs are on average 65 years old, and some important structures, such as those in the Kiel Canal, even date back to the German Empire. Disruptions and failures therefore increasingly lead to the closure of entire waterways, which would have catastrophic consequences in the event of a crisis, as there are often no alternative routes. The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) estimates the investment requirement by 2030 at €6.5 billion.

Bureaucratic shackles: The missing “military Schengen”

The rapid deployment of troops and equipment is hampered by a multitude of bureaucratic hurdles. Approval deadlines for cross-border transports of up to five working days clearly contradict NATO's operational planning time of a maximum of 72 hours. Added to this is regulatory fragmentation due to differing regulations between German federal states and cumbersome customs procedures that require the duplicate submission of applications (NATO Form 302 and EU Form 302).

Capacity bottlenecks and new vulnerabilities

In addition to the condition of the infrastructure, limited transport capacities, especially for specialized vessels, and competition with commercial freight transport in times of crisis also pose a challenge. Furthermore, the infrastructure is exposed to new vulnerabilities. Critical points such as locks and port facilities are susceptible to sabotage or hybrid attacks. At the same time, climate change is exacerbating the situation: recurring low water levels, particularly on the Rhine, drastically limit the draught of ships, increase transport costs due to low-water surcharges, and, in extreme cases, can paralyze entire transport chains, forcing a shift to the already overburdened modes of transport, rail and road.

The following matrix structures these diverse challenges.

Matrix of challenges for military mobility on inland waterways

Matrix of challenges for military mobility on inland waterways – Image: Xpert.Digital

Military mobility on inland waterways faces a variety of challenges. Some of the hard infrastructure is outdated, such as locks in the Kiel Canal dating back to the imperial era, whose unplanned failure can block a strategic waterway for weeks due to a lack of redundancy. From a regulatory and bureaucratic perspective, lengthy approval procedures, which can take up to five days, compared to the NATO requirement of 72 hours, result in excessively slow deployments, which hampers rapid crisis response. Furthermore, military transport competes with the civilian sector, as commercial transport takes priority when booking capacity, making the short-term deployment of large military capacities very difficult. Added to this are the climatic resilience issues, for example, due to low-water events on the Rhine, which severely limit ships' loading capacity and make transport chains less reliable and more expensive. Finally, physical resilience is also compromised, as acts of sabotage against locks, weirs, or port IT can turn a minor attack into a long-term disruption of important traffic arteries.

Paths to empowerment: strategies, projects and recommendations for action

Addressing the identified deficits requires a paradigm shift from a purely transport policy approach to an integrated security policy approach that considers infrastructure, regulation and finance as a unit.

Rethink financing strategies and accelerate processes

While existing financing instruments such as the CEF are an important step, their budget of €1.69 billion is far from sufficient given the immense need and is already fully committed. A shift from purely project-based funding to permanent federal funding for strategic infrastructure, understood as an integral part of defense spending, is needed. At the same time, bureaucracy must be radically reduced. Concrete recommendations for action include: The abolition of domestic licensing requirements for military transports between federal states. The harmonization and digitalization of cross-border licensing procedures at the EU/NATO level to ensure processing within 72 hours. The creation of a single, harmonized customs form to avoid duplicate applications to NATO and the EU.

Targeted expansion and civil-military cooperation

Investments must be targeted at infrastructure projects along the routes identified as military corridors. PESCO projects such as the "Network of Logistic Hubs," which links logistics hubs across Europe, such as the one in Pfungstadt, are a promising approach. At the same time, cooperation with the private sector must be intensified. Models in which logistics companies and port operators are contractually obligated to provide capacities and services even in the event of a defense emergency can significantly increase flexibility and efficiency. The Bundeswehr Logistics Command has already initiated projects to more closely integrate private companies into material management, transport, and maintenance.

Strengthen resilience

The resilience of infrastructure must be increased. This includes, on the one hand, the physical protection and cybersecurity of critical points such as locks and terminals. On the other hand, technical measures to mitigate the effects of climate change are essential. One example of this is the planned deepening of the fairway on the Middle Rhine to improve navigability during low water, although completion is not expected until the next decade.

From bottleneck to strategic multiplier

The analysis clearly shows that inland ports and their associated waterways represent an indispensable, yet highly fragile, component of the European defense architecture. A dangerous gap exists between the strategic imperative for rapid and massive deployment capability and the current state of infrastructure, capacities, and bureaucratic processes. The upgrading of inland logistics is a litmus test for Germany's and NATO's ability not only to proclaim the proclaimed "turning point" but also to implement it materially and procedurally. The neglect of waterways as a redundant and high-capacity mode of transport for heavy equipment is a strategic oversight that weakens the resilience of the entire Alliance. The integration of inland ports into a resilient, responsive, and redundant overall logistics system is not an option, but a strategic necessity. Failure to act decisively here undermines the credibility of alliance defense at one of its most fundamental levels: the ability to be in the right place at the right time with the right means.

Markus Becker

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Konrad Wolfenstein

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