BALTIC GATEWAY - Integrating the Seaways of the Southern Baltic Sea into the Pan European Transport System
Overview
Background & policy context:
The South Baltic Sea area plays an important role as a gateway for transport between Scandinavia and Continental Europe, and in relation to the European and Asian hinterlands further away. The area functions as a market place for intermodal transport services, where ports offer interfaces to a wide range of destinations for passengers and goods. This area has the potential to become one of the most dynamic growth regions in Europe. Major regional economic and cultural differences in the area provide unique challenges and possibilities for increased integration and cohesion. Although, many different factors influence whether promotion of regional development is successful or not, it is clear that the transport system is of decisive importance.
In order to strengthen the efficiency and sustainability of the transport system, regional authorities in the area, national transport administrations, port authorities, chambers of commerce as well as private stake-holders, joined forces in the Interreg IIIB project Baltic Gateway. The initiative assembled 38 official partners from six countries.
Objectives:
The objective of Baltic Gateway was to carry out extensive studies to develop a common transport strategy for the Baltic Sea area, joining together regional and local authorities, ports, transport authorities and private stakeholders in seven countries.
The development of a comprehensive system of high quality transport and related services to connect Scandinavia, North West Europe, the European Continent, the Baltic Countries, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Asia, will promote economic growth and a sustainable development in the South Baltic Sea area, through improved accessibility within and between the regions.
Methodology:
The work in Baltic Gateway is carried out in four groups of activities:
- The focus of the first group of activities was the South Baltic Sea area in a European and global perspective, as a sustainable region relying on maritime transport. The work produced studies of transport flows and the transport infrastructure, regional impact of different transports scenarios and analysis of future capacity problems. More in detail, the work included the following tasks:
- The Gateway function. Positioning the South Baltic Sea area from a European and global perspective.
- Transport and travel flows. Compiling an overview of basic facts and available forecasts.
- A common view on the revised TEN. Defining primary transnational networks for the South Baltic Sea area and developing a common view on the revised TEN.
- Territorial impact assessment. Evaluation of the impact of future networks.
- Implementation and financing. Options to satisfy the demands for improved infrastructure.
- The second group of activities investigated ways of improving cohesion in the area through improved accessibility. Selected corridors and bottlenecks were investigated and concrete investments prepared. Development along the corridors Øresund-Gedser-Rostock-Berlin, Copenhagen-Ystad-Swinoujscie-Wroclaw, and Copenhagen-Blekinge-Klaipeda-Vilnius were studied. Road telematics installations for variable speed limits were installed and tested on road E22 in Blekinge. finally, a pre-feasibility study of a new railway route between Kristianstad and Southwestern Skåne was carried out.
- The third group of activities aimed at promoting sustainable transport and improving intermodal solutions through co-operation between private and public stakeholders. The intermodal freight market was analysed and concrete actions for improved intermodal solutions were proposed. Twinning arrangements between the ports of Karlshamn-Klaipeda, Trelleborg-Rostock, Karlskrona-Gdynia and Ystad-Swinoujscie were initiated. A system concept was developed for a cross-docking centre adapted to the conditions in Lübeck-Travemünde. An ICT-based dangerous goods management system was developed in the port of Lübeck.
- The fourth group of activities dealt with issues related to political support and commitment around the emerging results. The work included:
- Development of a communication strat
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