IRIS aimed to design and demonstrate viable intermodal transport services for the short and medium distance sector, based on the implementation of three major seaport/hinterland connections.

The main objectives of IRIS have been:

• to demonstrate the commercial, operational and technical feasibility of enhanced intermodal freight transport, building on existing transport and business structures;
• to derive from the demonstration sites some practical and transferable features for enhancing intermodal freight transport;
• to set up three different regional demonstrators focusing on specific aspects of anticipated improvements in intermodal services, namely
• the Belgian-German-Dutch (BEDENL) demonstrator targeting the organisational and operational feasibility of intermodal transport chains by combining innovative rail services from the Belgian and German hinterland to the port of Zeebrugge with new co-operation models between private and public operators,
• the Italian (IT) demonstrator introducing advanced telematic solutions for electronic exchange of data between a seaport terminal (Genova) and hinterland intermodal terminals in Padova and Bologna,
• the UK demonstrator linking two economic centres (i.e. Birmingham and London) to the seaport of Southampton by using a novel self-propelled train for standard container transport.