MG-2-6-2019: Moving freight by Water: Sustainable Infrastructure and Innovative Vessels

Although it is a means of transport that can reduce transport CO2 and air polluting emissions and significantly contribute to reducing congestion on European roads waterborne transport around European coasts and on its inland waterways remains under-utilised and is not fully integrated in the multimodal European Transport system. Both technical and administrative requirements hinder the take up of Intra-European waterborne transport. Improvements are needed concerning: efficient and seamless integration between transport modes and last mile connection, inland waterway bottlenecks, capacity of small ports, loading times, efficiency of transferring cargo between modes, cost effectiveness of partial cargo loads, environmental impacts and the feasibility of mixed passenger/freight services. There is a need to stimulate the modernization of intra-European waterborne transport as well as waterborne transport with neighbouring countries, particularly in the case of the outermost regions by fostering automation and digitisation so as to enable their more efficient and reliable participation in the whole supply chain, to reduce environmental impacts such as noise and to respond to changing freight flows and supporting full implementation of synchromodality within inland waterways.  Activities shall focus on either area a) inland waterways or area b) maritime transport.

Deadline: 
Wednesday, 16 January, 2019 - 17:00
Geographical Coverage: European
Budget: 
The available budget is 30.000.000,00 €.
Sector of Activity:
Research & innovation
Transport (port connectivity and accessibility)