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. Proposals should focus either on area a) inland waterways or on area b) maritime transport.
Proposals focusing on the Maritime transport area should address issues with a focus on the TEN-T network, develop to at least TRL5 one or more innovative inland waterway or short sea transport solutions incorporating innovative vessels which can operate more effectively within intermodal logistic chains with limited and affordable improvements to existing infrastructure. For example, solutions may combine freight with passenger services or ship to ship transfers so as to improve the cost effective feeding of freight from large to small inland ports. The role of smaller coastal ports, inland waterways and their urban waterfront, including those located in the outermost regions, should not be neglected as a means to exploit their high potential to contribute to innovative mobility solutions and last mile freight delivery.
Proposals will be submitted in two stages: first stage deadline is January 16, 2019 and the second stage deadline is September 12, 2019