Inland waterway transport occupies a significant place in our country's economy. It practically meets all aspects of social requirements for modern transport. This is transport and environmental safety and reliability. Having such advantages over other modes of transport as low cost of transportation, the presence of nature-created ways, environmental cleanliness, inland waterway transport, however, loses in the competition to road and rail transport, largely due to lack of flexibility, low speed and seasonality.

However, water transport is widely used to transport a variety of goods that do not require high speed delivery. The important components of operating costs spent on transportation of goods and passengers are fuel consumption, maintenance materials and repair of ships.