TIGER Second Annual Conference: “The Co-modal Industrialisation chain from ports to the hinterland destinations answering the challenges of growing maritime traffic volumes”

NEWOPERA and UNIFE, supported by the European Commission, organized the Second TIGER Annual Conference held on November 30th in Hamburg at INTERMODAL EUROPE 2011.

The TIGER project, co-funded by the EU FP7th program, started in October 2009 with the objective of promoting new operative solutions for avoiding congestion in European ports. The new generation containers vessels have introduced into the world maritime routes a new gigantic dimension whereas the overland infrastructures remained unchanged. The race of shipping lines towards bigger tonnage seems unstoppable. It is therefore imperative to exploit the existing overland carrying capacity at its maximum potential if congestion to keep the traffic moving. The co-modality approach integrating Sea - Rail- Road – and Inland Waterways is the correct answer. In particular Rail Intermodality can deliver a far better performance by industrialising its production processes between the Ports and the Hinterland Dry Ports/Mega Hubs. By 2020 most North European Ports will reach their technical capacity intake. All modalities have to deliver a much better operating performances but Rail intermodality has to play a much bigger role.

The Ports interested in the TIGER Project are: Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Jade Weser, Genoa, Taranto and Gioia Tauro.

The Conference was opened by the European Commission with a keynote speech delivered by Paul Verhoef Head of Unit of DG-Move, giving indications on the European Common Transport policies. Mr Franco Castagnetti, TIGER Project leader, presented the traffic projections 2015-2020 on the TIGER ports and the modal split of traffic to and from these Ports and their Hinterland. The conference was divided into 4 sessions where all the Maritime Transport key actors elaborated different ideas and solutions for resolving present and future traffic challenges. Real demonstrators, business cases and best practices were presented.

Investments of hundreds of million Euros, both by private and public interests, have been made in Dry Port Infrastructures and Management systems supporting the TIGER Project initiative.

The Conference was very well attended by over 100 delegates from all over Europe.

Further information on the TIGER Project can be found on the TIGER project website at www.tigerproject.eu.