via donau – Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft mbH was founded on 1 January 2005 by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology for the preservation and development of the Danube waterway. The company was formed by the merger of Österreichische Donau-Betriebs AG, Österreichische Donau-Technik GmbH, via donau – Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH für Telematik und Donauschifffahrt and the privatised Waterways Authority.

via donau is a modern and efficiently run company that operates waterways and executes sovereign functions on behalf of the federal authorities with regard to waterways and waterway transport. In addition to the tasks of federal waterway administration and transport development, via donau carries out pioneering work by planning and managing the Integrated River Engineering Project to the east of Vienna as well as operating a navigation information system called Danube River Information Services (DoRIS).

via donau considers itself not only an infrastructure operator but also a competent business partner and service provider that ensures the availability of the Danube as a high-capacity transport route. In co-operation with both national and international partners, via donau implements innovative projects designed to intensify waterway transport. Thus, the company contributes significantly to the safeguarding of business locations for Austrian companies as well as to the environmentally friendly management of future traffic volumes along the Danube corridor.
The tasks and duties of via donau are stipulated in the Waterways Act (Federal Law Gazette177/2004 of 30.12.2004).