During February 8-10, 2010, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, hosted the International Forum “Strategic Partnership 1520: Baltic Region”, dedicated to the regional railway business sector. Some of the most important topics discussed included the major problems encountered in the transport and logistics sector, an outpost for economic development in “area 1520”. Transit point and key element of Economic Cooperation in Eurasia, the Baltic Region is of great interest for the partners involved in “broad-gauge” railway transport. In fact, “Forum 1520” is dedicated to all the railway companies and manufacturers in the industry, which operate on broad-gauge railways (1520 mm). “We have to be aware and also make good use of the advantages provided by our position on one of the oldest and most important commercial routes”, said Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia. “Being part of the European Union, we are very interested in developing a fast and efficient freight and passenger transport between our neighbouring countries”, added Ilves. According to Ilves, the highest priority is to develop the Via Baltica and Rail Baltica links, the latter being a huge challenge for the Baltic states in establishing a proper rail link with Central Europe. The efficient development of the region’s huge potential, which is conditioned by its geo-economic position, may be obtained only if all the operators agree on developing transit trade in the region. Considering the current economic situation, the participants believe that it is of the utmost importance to balance the interests and make the necessary effort to improve transport competition, service quality and complexity, infrastructure modernisation, customs service and tariff coordination and, most importantly, to develop a constructive dialogue with “area 1435”, which includes the country that operate on standard-gauge railways (1435 mm). The broad-gauge railway system (1520 mm) is the official system used in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Baltic Region, Mongolia and Finland.
Increased economic potential for Area 1520
“The financial and economic crisis, as well as the main features of the transport systems in “area 1520” have once again proven that the Baltic Region was and will always be a key element for economic cooperation in Eurasia. The efficiency of fulfilling the huge transit potential largely depends on the cooperation of all those involved in the transport sector. It would be impossible to improve transport and logistics competition in the Baltic Region without modernising the railway infrastructure, introducing innovations and without consolidating the efforts made by our partners from “area 1520”. The focus placed on developing long-term competitive advantages and consolidating trade and the economic relations in the area represent a solid basis for an efficient partnership in the transport sector“, said Vladimir Yakunin, President Russian Railways. One of the key points discussed at “Forum 1520” was the potential of integration of the transport system in the Baltic Region. The economic improvement in most developed countries is a clear signal and an incentive for trade revitalization between West Pacific (Asia-Pacific region) and Western Europe. Tendencies indicate that most customers are already prepared for an increase in product and service consumption, including those from the transport industry. “Area 1520” Partnership will come in response to these reactions, bringing quality and competitive products for a fast and safe freight transport. The participants discussed about several aspects, such as the cooperation between maritime and railway transport in the Baltic Region, in order to provide an efficient multi-modal transport service. Other aspects concerned the possibility to develop a technological cooperation between “area 1520” and “area 1435”, the implementation of logistics technologies for freight transport, the development of a single information field for the 1520mm network, the increase in border cooperation efficiency, the attraction of investments for a large scale implementation of projects in “area 1520”. “The globalisation of the international transport market, the tough competition and the increasing need for transport in “area 1520” prove that we shouldn’t focus only on the operational communication, but also on the development of a joint approach for the elaboration of an overall development strategy for “area 1520”, as an integrated transport and logistics system, capable of providing quality and efficient services for the existing freight transport, as well as great potential for passenger transport between Asia and Europe”, said Kaido Simmermann, Chairman of Estonian Railways Management Board.
by Elena Ilie
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