Ports on the Danube may be relocated from the city centre of Budapest

Photo: FB/Mahart Passnave

The Municipality of Budapest is planning major changes to the navigation sector. The local assembly has already approved plans to amend the so-called Danube Coast Building Code, which would almost completely ban boats from the city centre, mainly from the 13th district section of the Danube.

Many of the tourists arriving in Budapest try the cruises on the Danube. To make it safer, the capital may implement plans to reduce the number of ports in the city centre and build new ones in the suburbs, Portfolio reports.

Ports in Budapest may be relocated to the suburbs

Photo: Mahartpassnave.hu/hu

Theoretically, the rules on navigation on the Danube in Budapest have been tightened, but hotel ships often do not respect them. This is the opinion of Botond Szalma, the former CEO of Mahart and former president of the Hungarian National Association of Navigation (MAHOSZ): “It would be good if the big hotel ships could be moved to Újpest Bay or the shores around Csepel and only be allowed to dock there. From there, smaller, typically Hungarian-operated boats should take tourists who want to go cruising.” This, he says, would avoid the turmoil and of course, the risks of sudden manoeuvres by large ships, referring to the 2019 tragedy of the Hableány.

The expert added that Mahart receives an annual dividend of HUF 3 billion (EUR 7.5 million) from the leasing of the ports, which could perhaps be used to build new ports on the southern and northern sections of the Danube in Budapest. According to him, building 10-15 such ports could solve the problems and the investments could be profitable in two years.

Under the amendments to the Danube Coastal Building Code, only 9 of the 24 ports in Újlipótváros, which are suitable for permanent docking, would remain, and these could only be used for embarking and disembarking. New marinas would be built on the Újpest and Csepel coastline to replace those that would be closed. The new rules would come into effect from 1 January 2025.

However, the new regulation is so flexible that the decision of the Municipal Assembly itself calls on the Mayor of the capital to examine the need for further measures by a working group consisting of representatives of the concerned district municipalities, shipping companies and public authorities, to address the need for further measures due to the tourism, transport and other uses that are also important for the economy of the capital, including in particular the possibilities of building new ports.

Party boats on the Danube also affected by the changes

The Municipal Assembly asked the Mayor of Budapest not to issue a public land use permit for the operation of “party boats” on the XIII. district’s coastline. Moreover, the possibility of docking these boats would be abolished in the case of noise violations.

Mihály Tóth said that together with Greenpeace and the Clean Air Action Group, they had repeatedly measured air pollution levels and had found that noise and pollution levels on the quayside spiked between 7 and 10 AM when there was no boat traffic. However, he acknowledged that the evening tourist boat traffic could indeed increase the number of people on the waterfront, but he did not believe that the solution was to ban tourists. “Every year, 5 million tourists come to Budapest, 4 million of whom take a boat trip on the Danube for a shorter or longer period, which brings significant revenue to the capital,” he argued.

Read also:

Demonstration on the Danube: boatmen protest in Budapest – Read here
Tourism in Hungary at huge risk: proposed changes threaten Danube’s future – Read here

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1 Comment

Let the People Decide through DIALOGUE : says:

02/07/2024 at 09:59

Not everywhere needs to be modernised and developed and sanitised – until all the SOUL – is sucked away.
In reading this article, it just “jumps” out at me, the Ports on the Danube, such a PART of our History, centering on the City Center Ports – the “hidden agenda” is the BELIEF, the facilitation – to PLEASE the River Ship operators over the people of Hungary, not just Budapest, but as a country.
If it’s a TIDAL factor – the rise & fall of the Danube, inside Hungary – there may be argument, in the subject of this article, relating to River Cruise Ships.
If it’s NOT – prioritize – in the consideration of CHANGE to our Ports / Rakparts (Quays) on the Danube – that ;
(1) – best serves ALL Hungarians.
(2) – best serves – the Ferry Operators – that carry / transport Hungarians & Tourists – out from and back into the Central City Ports – the BRIDGES – Margit Hid, Szecheny – Chain Bridge, Elisabeth Bridge and Liberty Bridge.
(3) – that River Ships – there OPERATORS – be INFORMED – they can enter the waters – the Ports of the Danube – “dock” there Ships – between the hours of ——–.
(4) – that River Ships – there OPERATORS – be INFORMED – they can depart the waters – Ports of the Danube – from ——- on-wards.
SUMMER Months – this “stretch” of the Danube – for Public / Tourist Pleasure & Enjoyment Ferry “usage” and the River Ships – we KNOW – is the Busiest time the “real” MONEY making TIME – for the (2) two “modes” of usage of the Danube and it’s OPERATORS.
It must be – through DIALOGUE – thought through – that its a “win-win” solution, that does NOT result, in the River Ships receiving PRIORITIZATION – over the operators of the Ferry’s that OPERATE as Public / Tourist operations.
What best serves Hungarians / the TOURISTS.
then secondly, that River Ship Operators – do there “thing” our way, and don’t DOMINANT us – that RESULTS in the operators of the smaller – public / tourist Ferry’s – get FUCKED over – Screwed.
It “pisses me right off” – and continue to “preach” it WRONG – that what existed on the Danube, prior to February 2020, the arrival of the Corona Novel Pandemic, our Public Ferry Service that we used from our rakpart being Vigado, the taxes we pay, for our house in District V, that the Public Ferry system was AXED.
It facilitated a pleasant NEED to us, a PUBLIC Service to Us, from Vigado to Batthyany and back, to supermarket shop or stroll – have lunch, a drink in that BEAUTIFUL location in our glorious City, situated on a River, our beloved Danube, all that it provides for USE inclusive of Public Ferry use, between the (4) four Glorious Bridges that span the Danube – the City Center “rakparts” in our Capital City.
General Public – Hungarians first & tourist – our NEEDS – our PLEASURES – then take on the “Vikings” and other, that in there use of the Ports – the Quays of City Center – Budapest, Hungary – these are the CONDITIONS.