INTERMODE-TRANS - Specific Support Action for pan-European stakeholders and users sustaining integrated pilot technologies for increasing the efficiency of intermodal transport
Overview
Background & policy context:
The importance of transport technologies and transshipment tools and equipments which are not yet optimised for goods handling and moving has become even more critical with the enlargement of the European Union to Eastern Europe that will shift transport demand to / from the accession countries. It is critical to raise awareness and come to an efficient solution as soon as possible so as to decrease potential points of friction and costs.
Therefore, one of the key aims of INTERMODE-TRANS was to provide a platform among manufacturers, engineering and transport operators. The dynamic platform is expected to generate RTD guidelines for innovative technologies for intermodality.
Objectives:
One of the key aims of INTERMODE-TRANS was to provide a platform among manufacturers, engineering and transport operators. The dynamic platform is expected to generate RTD guidelines for innovative technologies for intermodality.
Within the dynamic platform, a second objective was to prepare the ground for future research and technological development (RTD) activities within and beyond the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) by networking and creating constituencies of technologies' suppliers and stakeholders in order to investigate future research challenges and associated implementation models. The project set out to contribute to the implementation of activities of the work programme for sustainable surface transport.
The objectives of INTERMODE-TRANS addressed the following problems:
- development of efficient and standardised intermodal technologies and transshipment solutions;
- role and benefits for SMEs in general and with special consideration of Candidate Countries and new Member States;
- incompatibility between the different available technologies and tools;
- incapacity of the different terminal technologies to cope with the increased demand of transport.
Methodology:
The Specific Support Action (SSA) INTERMODE-TRANS targeted ongoing research and development (R&D) with regard to transport technologies that can achieve a sustainable modal shift from road to railways and waterborne routes including inland navigation and short sea shipping, promoting the development of transshipment technologies, tools and equipments based on the real need of the end-users. This was done through an interaction among transport operators, engineering companies and manufacturers of transshipment technologies. The research and dissemination gave specific attention to target small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and participation of new Member States through several workshops used to gather information.
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