TIGER AT THE EUROFREIGHT CONFERENCE IN BERLIN

EUROFREIGHT  2010, FEBRUARY 23^rd

    Steigenberger Hotel – Berlin

Abstract

NEWOPERA (Operating Project for European Rail Axes)  is a  European research project  for  Rail freight  dedicated  lines, launched  by The European Freight and Logistics Leaders Forum (F&L) for  providing  long term solutions of cargo mobility in Europe.

TIGER (Transit via Innovative Gateway concept solving European-intermodal Rail needs) is a European full operating project implementing in the market place some of the NEWOPERA findings, concepts and discoveries focused on port decongestion and containers inland distribution by Rail. TIGER has been launched by NEWOPERA Aisbl of which F&L is a founding member.

Leading shippers, manufacturing industries, logistics service providers, transport companies, Intermodal operators, integrators and distributors, shipping lines, Ports,  and also road operators, are  demanding  a new approach to the rail business different from  the one we have come to know.

Despite the existing economic recession the most important trade pattern are not likely to change in the near future. The traffic volumes which are  generated by the Far East, China and South East Asia constitute the backbone of commercial interchange with Europe. In addition the overland traffic to and from the East of Europe following the EU Enlargement continues to grow. The giant container vessels already delivered and/or still in construction having capacities in excess of 10.000 TEUs are progressively deployed on the maritime trade lanes. These will call at a fewer number of ports where a higher number of CTS movements are handled.

The citizens pressures towards the environmental issues such as traffic congestion, pollution, accidents and climate change are growing. The quality of life improvement is becoming a central issue in every decision-making both at European and local Government level. A more sustainable mobility is necessary. Modal shift from road towards Rail is thought to be a necessary development.

Rail freight however, despite a lot of efforts by European authorities, Governments and operators, has not been capable of attracting new market share. This is due to a number of factors amongst which the lack of competitiveness and inadequate service profile are the major contributors.  A profound modernisation of the rail economy based on lower costs and the  restructuring of the service offerings are necessary. In order to achieve these two major objectives, the capacity generation obtained either by increased productivity or by new investments in infrastructures, becomes paramount. These tasks are possible by acting on three complementary dimensions:

• Infrastructure investments to reduce bottlenecks already in execution.
• Productivity increase by operating longer heavier and faster trains on existing lines.
• New technologies applied both to equipments and management systems.

It is quite obvious that the economic downturn has eliminated most of the congestion which was plaguing the European infrastructural system, including road, rail, terminals and ports. Such unexpected situation must be taken as an opportunity for modernising the European freight mobility in general. Europe cannot afford the risk to find itself in a worse congested position than before, when the traffic levels are back to normal.

This recessionary period of time must be used for optimising the freight system productivity by extracting from each available transport mode its overall best performance. Mega hubs and freight villages are being built in strategic nodal points of Europe where integration of maritime, overland, transport and logistics activities are concentrated. Rail traffic industrialisation between these Mega hubs is achieved using longer heavier and faster trains, generating the conditions for reducing Rail freight operating costs and improving the service performance. Urban hubs built in the vicinity of densely populated areas provide the platform for last mile distribution of consumers products to the final users.

 THE TIGER KICK OFF  EVENT IN GENOA

                                  Genoa Port Authority , OCTOBER 22nd and 23rd 2009

                                                              Palazzo San Giorgio

The launch of the TIGER project took successfully place  on October 22nd and 23rd in Genoa, it marks the promising beginning of a large-scale collaboration between logistics companies, port authorities, and railway operators to build co-modal freight logistic chains linking the main ports of Europe. More than 50 project partners participated to this event, kindly hosted by the Genova Port Authority in the Palazzo San Giorgio at the Genova Port. The kick-off was a perfect event to exchange views on the project and create a common vision how to proceed in the following three years.

 TIGER IN THE PRESS: