NEtWorking ports to promote intermodal TranspOrt and better access to hinterlaNd
The project NEW.TON aims at promoting intermodal transport, increasing accessibility and connections with marginal internal areas, taking advantage of the potentialities of TEN Egnatia road axis. It draws up supporting actions for a new ro-ro/ro-pax link-line Taranto-Igoumenitsa, outlines the setting-up and management of administrative-electronic procedures in port activities. Project idea arises from the primary need to tackle the upcoming opening of the TEN Via Egnatia, connecting Igoumenitsa to Kipi, near Istanbul, and, with 9 vertical axis, to Albany and Bulgaria. This will be one of the major axis for the South-eastern Mediterranean area and represents a key opportunity for the improvement of transports and, accordingly, for the economy of the countries concerned. The success and full exploitation of the new axis depends also on the efficacy of management systems. Authorities concerned will have to face and overcome the increased road transport, adopting proper and integrated strategies. The intermodal approach and the promotion of maritime transport services are thus crucial. NEW.TON final goal is to provide ports and other actors with the conditions required to face this new scenario. The specific objectives are: • To start up coordination initiatives among involved partners and key stakeholders. • To promote new sea ro-ro/ro-pax connections. • To point out and promote the usage of shared and efficient procedures for handling, up- and downloading, trans-shipment and stocking of goods. • To activate communication and awareness initiatives aiming at promoting the role of ports in intermodal transports, as gateway to hinterlands, and opportunities arising from project outputs. Foreseen activities include networking actions, detailed studies and analyses, the development of an IT tool, and specific information/awareness actions. Expected outputs are: • A feasibility study and a detailed Business Plan for the set-up of a new ro-ro/ro-pax route Taranto-Igoumenitsa. • A new IT tool, specifically developed to manage the organisation, trade and administrative processes of intermodal-transnational freights transport in an integrated and efficient way. • The set-up and implementation of a complete communication campaign including: organisation of 3 local workshops plus a common final conference, publication and diffusion of a project web-site and leaflets (at least 20.000 copies), participation in 3 national/international exhibitions, redaction of articles. The direct beneficiaries of NEW.TON are actors involved in the transportation chain (ports authorities, shipping agencies, forwarders, carriers, etc.) even if all other economic actors of the concerned area will benefit from increased offer and effectiveness of transport services