Köln / Rotterdam, 7 April 2026 – River Academy and STC Next are expanding their cooperation in education, development of teaching materials, and both initial and continuing training in inland shipping. The aim is to sustainably improve qualification standards across Europe and develop modern, practice-oriented, pedagogically sound, and internationally applicable training programs.

Both organizations bring complementary strengths to the partnership. River Academy specializes in inland shipping education and professional development, e-learning, simulator training, and the creation of modern teaching materials. STC Next adds extensive experience in maritime, logistics, and inland shipping training, combined with a strong international practical focus.

At the core of this cooperation is a shared goal: to sustainably improve the quality of education and training in inland shipping. The sector faces major challenges, including a shortage of skilled workers and increasing demands in safety, technology, digitalization, and international collaboration. To meet these challenges, teaching materials must not only be technically accurate, but also pedagogically well-structured, practice-oriented, and understandable for diverse audiences. They should be delivered in a modern format and designed to be accessible, engaging, and future-ready, especially for new entrants.

The partners see this collaboration as an excellent foundation to create tangible added value together with key stakeholders such as CCNR, DK, EBU, EDINNA, the European Commission, and national authorities: improving sustainability in training quality, enhancing safety in practice, and contributing to climate protection in a dynamically growing European inland shipping sector.

The partnership also focuses on fair and comparable framework conditions. Training standards across Europe should become clearer, more transparent, and more consistent. The cooperation aims to reduce gaps between legislation and implementation, which currently make international rules difficult to understand in many places, despite mutual recognition of qualifications. At the same time, it seeks to effectively address inconsistencies in training quality across different regions.

A particular sense of urgency arises from European developments following the introduction of EU Directive 2017/2397 on the recognition of professional qualifications in inland shipping. Although the directive is intended to promote harmonization, practice often shows the opposite. Only some of the seventeen affected countries have so far transposed the directive into national law, often in different ways. The implementation process is slow, while staff shortages increase, innovation accelerates, the fleet grows, and sector demands become more complex.

Against this background, River Academy and STC Next aim to align training content even more closely with real-world requirements onboard vessels, in training institutions, and within inland shipping companies. This benefits students, career changers, experienced professionals, and companies that invest in the qualifications of their staff. For career changers, particularly those from maritime shipping, transparent structures, clear learning pathways, and reliable quality standards are essential.

The partners also note that the private training market in Europe is currently highly fragmented. In many countries, clear implementation pathways are lacking, as well as practical knowledge on how to translate European directives into education and examinations effectively. At the same time, setting up training programs is relatively low-threshold in some markets. However, passing exams alone should not be the deciding factor; actual professional competence is what matters. Whether a candidate can operate safely and competently as a future deckhand, skipper, or officer is directly linked to the safety, quality, and sustainability of the sector.

The cooperation therefore focuses not only on teaching materials but also on systemic issues. Existing competence standards will be refined, content will be better structured, and quality processes made more transparent. At the same time, River Academy and STC Next aim to strengthen collaboration with countries, educational institutions, companies, industry associations, and European institutions to further develop inland shipping as a reliable, safe, accessible, and attractive sector with a strong future perspective.

Key development areas within the cooperation

• Clear and precise qualification standards
• Transparent training structures
• Harmonized curricula, training methods, and teaching materials
• Clear pathways for career changers, particularly from maritime shipping
• Understandable and comparable examination standards
• Sustainable models for international accreditation, auditing, and quality assurance
• Greater focus on objective quality criteria and internationally comparable examination formats
• Active support for national authorities in practical implementation of European directives

Quote Ivan Winterhalder, Managing Director River Academy:
“Inland shipping needs strong, modern, and accessible training programs. Through this partnership, we combine experience, practical expertise, and innovation to develop teaching materials and training concepts that provide real added value for students, companies, and professional practice across Europe.”

Quote Cor van Wijngaarden, Director STC Next:
“Europe needs not only recognized diplomas and certifications in inland shipping but also a shared understanding of quality in training and assessment. Our cooperation aims to clarify standards, make qualifications more reliable, and improve access to a safe, attractive, and future-proof sector.”

Both partners also see the cooperation as an important driver for the sector’s attractiveness. High-quality training facilitates entry, creates career opportunities, and strengthens long-term retention of skilled professionals. In few sectors are advancement opportunities as rapid with proper qualifications as in inland shipping. Strong training standards and modern learning solutions make this argument even more visible.

The partnership also offers clear benefits for companies. Shipping companies, training providers, and other stakeholders gain access to up-to-date, practice-oriented training content. This supports both individual staff development and the long-term competitiveness of the sector as a whole.

Through this partnership, River Academy and STC Next send a joint signal for higher quality, stronger practical relevance, greater comparability, and improved future resilience in education and training within the European inland shipping sector.