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All questions
CEVNI inland waterways

A small craft reaches a lock before a commercial vessel and both will share it. When should the small craft enter?

Short answer

Only when invited by staff, after the other vessel, even though it arrived first

Arrival order is the normal baseline, but small craft cannot demand separate locking and, when sharing, enter only when invited and after the other vessels. Revisit Lock Approach, Arrival and Invitation.

Sources and scope

Reviewed by Richard Moore on . This answer is scoped to european inland waterways; local rules still apply; check the current chart, publication, local rules and official operational guidance before acting afloat.

Quick check

A small craft reaches a lock before a commercial vessel and both will share it. When should the small craft enter?