C4Freight

Freight Transport Corridors  Objective Demonstrate on key pan-European corridors innovative transport technologies, systems and strategies. Make a major contribution to Developing the concept of “Motorways of the Sea” and Revitalising the railways in door to door transport chains. Under strategic corridor leadership the demonstrations should cover all aspect of organising, implementing and promoting efficient alternatives to road-only transport. Integrate, demonstrate and validate intermodal technologies, systems and strategies to increase the efficiency and interoperability of transport modes, their related infrastructure and vehicles, and to demonstrate the potential of intermodal transport to achieve European transport policy objectives.

Freight Transport Corridors  Scope The proposed corridors should have significant international traffic, suffer from road congestion and have quantifiable potential for mode shift (either road to rail or road to short sea shipping / inland navigation). as the target mode either; short sea shipping and/or inland waterways (Motorways of the Sea) or rail services. The project must develop and maintain the broad partnership necessary to implement such concepts in selected corridors. Public authorities, shippers and freight transport operators). Validate the most promising results from past research activities in integrated full-scale demonstrations Cargo handling equipment, vessel/vehicle interfaces, semi trailers etc., systems (e.g. for booking, terminal/port management) and strategies (e.g. identification of mode shift potential.). The proposed demonstrations should not require significant infrastructure investments. There should be independent monitoring of the impacts in the target corridors including emissions, accidents, energy, mode shift, external costs etc. Marketing and training aspects should be addressed. In addition to Member States, Accession Countries and Associated States the involvement of other Mediterranean countries and Russia would be welcome. Proposers should make clear distinction between proposed corridor activities (e.g. demonstration, marketing etc) and horizontal activities (e.g. co-ordination, dissemination and evaluation). The most promising elements will be merged by the Commissions services into a single integrated project.

Freight Transport Corridors  Expected outcome A significant increase in the potential of short sea shipping / inland navigation or rail as the prevailing transport mode in the selected corridors combined with improved awareness and understanding of intermodal transport amongst stakeholders. The project should make a major contribution to developing and testing the concept of Motorways of the Sea. The project should assess the potential of intermodal transport to make a substantial contribution to achieving transport policy objectives.

EU Input  Demonstrate corridors that shift cargo from road  Modal shift potential should be significant and documented in proposaldocumented  Full-scale implementations with potential of being commercially sustainable after the completion of the project

EU Input  More important that the demonstrators are convincing, and illustrates EU policies, than having a large geographical and modal coverage.  Should give meaning to the term ”Sea Motorways”

EU Input  Focus is on implementing, integrating and demonstrating available technologies, and not on developing new technologies and research.  Demonstration results expected after 2 years  Evaluators cannot participate in corridor development

Consequences for C4Freight  Focus on Corridors  Organisation to be simple and, at the same time, making it obvious to the Commission that C4Freight is the better approach

C4Freight Corridors are:  Easy to use  Fast, through management and fast transshipment  Transparent  Reliable service  Flexible  Cost effective ICT Volume

C4Freight Corridors