VIWAS - Viable Waggonload production Schemes
Overview
Background & policy context:
Single wagonload (SWL) transport is still a major component in numerous European state transport systems and in the logistics of different economic sectors such as steel, the chemical industry and automotive. However, changing framework conditions and increasingly demanding market requirements have led to dramatic market losses and even to complete shutdowns of SWL business in some countries. As this business segment has been evaluated as important for specific transport modes in a European co-modal transport system and also in the future, significant improvements are needed.
Objectives:
The success of SWL depends mainly on two issues:
- A viable SWL system is highly dependent on the critical mass. Thereby all options have to be considered to secure a high utilisation of the trains operated on the trunk lines, including a combined production with intermodal loads.
- Only comprehensive and complementary measures are able to sustainably improve and preserve the European SWL systems in accordance with increasingly demanding market requirements.
Methodology:
The ViWaS project will follow a comprehensive approach, aiming at the development of:
- Market driven business models and production systems
- Security of the critical mass needed for SWL operations
- New ways for Last mile infrastructure design and organisation
- Raising cost efficiency
- Adapted SWL technologies
- Improving flexibility and equipment utilisation
- Advanced SWL management procedures using ICT
- Raising quality, reliability, and cost efficiency.
The applicability of these solutions and their effects will be proved on the basis of pilot business cases (by demonstrations). In doing so, important findings will be gained for a European wide implementation of the developed solutions.
The ViWaS consortium includes railway operators (SBB Cargo, Fret SNCF, Bentheimer Eisenbahn), technology partners (Eureka, Wascosa) and consulting/ scientific partners (ETH Zurich, TU Berlin, HaCon, New Opera).
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