An inland vessel crew cannot simply start working on an estuary vessel. Additional training is needed, such as to earn an STCW certificate. For Captain Kenny Verstraeten, that was a conscious choice. "I come from a family of inland shippers. At school, I got the chance to train for estuary navigation. That appealed to me."
Polish colleague Karol Malinowski, who is still completing the estuary navigation training, sums up the differences nicely. "We have to do extra learning and practise for everything, such as survival skills, firefighting, and using rescue equipment. You need a GMDSS SRC certificate to use the marine radio and an ADN certificate for hazardous goods, a Rhine Patent, and so on."