Inland navigation is popular means of transport in Europe. Its popularity is challenged by the following factors: busy traffic, narrow channels and several countries involved. International inland waterway transport in Finland is concentrated on Lake Saimaa and the canal connecting it to the Baltic Sea. The traffic frequency in Finland is much lower than in Central Europe and vessels are generally seafaring vessels visiting the lake and the canal. Therefore, vessels are following common seafaring practices even in inland waterways.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate if the current Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) is adequate for the purpose, and how experiences from River Information System (RIS) could be implemented in the Saimaa Lake and Saimaa Canal.