Transport markets around the world have been reacting to a drop in economic power in 2009. Port operators have been struggling with decreased handling volumes and the expansion of port infrastructure in terms of new port terminals, new handling equipment or an improved intermodal connection has been put on hold. However, handling volumes at ports are increasing again. World transport volumes are rising and a growing internationalisation of trade increases the importance of seaports.
In what concerns seaports, the new White Paper announces initiatives in the field of infrastructure, services, financing, safety and security. Infrastructure concerns the integration of ports into the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T). The Commission has already outlined the basic criteria for the inclusion of ports in both the core and comprehensive network and is expected to produce concrete maps in the next few months. In the White Paper, the Commission highlights the need to have more and efficient entry points into European markets, avoiding unnecessary traffic crossing Europe.
“Motorways of the Sea” will form the maritime dimension of the core network. In general, the Commission expects that the multimodal TEN-T core network will be fully functional by 2030, with a high quality and capacity network by 2050 and a corresponding set of information services. By that time all core seaports should be sufficiently connected to the rail freight network and, where possible, inland waterway system. The Commission expects that 30% of road freight over 300 km should shift to other modes such as rail or waterborne transport by 2030, and more than 50% by 2050.
“Railway transport is the key means of transport in many ports, especially over long distances. Consequently, the development of a proper infrastructure has a major importance. Services are also very important and there is still much to do about this all over Europe. Despite the railway liberalisation policy supported by the European Commission, it is still inefficient in many countries”, said Patrick Verhoeven, the Secretary General of the European Seaports Organisation (ESPO) in an interview last year.
Constanţa seaport, one of the largest ports in Europe and the largest in Southern Europe, also plans better railway connections, as the General Manager of Constanţa Seaport Administration, Adrian Popa, said during the conference on logistics in April organised by Club Feroviar and the Romanian Railway Industry Association (AIF) in Constanţa. “We have new projects implying the development of the railway capacity in the river-maritime area of the Black Sea port. We are talking about building a new switchyard in the port and doubling the railway lines, building 11 km of new lines, railway shunting areas and a waiting line for locomotives”. Croatia has also announced plans for expansion of the port railway infrastructure through the Deputy Manager of Croatian Railways (HZ), Ivan Matasic, present at the conference in Constanţa: “One of the objectives of Croatian Railways is the development of the port of Rijeka and its connection on rails with the capital city, Zagreb, by building new lines”.
As regards port financing, the aim is to enhance transparency by lowering the threshold of the general Transparency Directive. This should help in clarifying the destination of public funding to the different port activities with a view to avoid any distortion of competition.
“We plan to build industrial lines at the Gate 10 of Constanţa seaport. Thus, we will build three new 2-km long lines and a link”, Adrian Popa, General Manager of Constanţa Seaport Administration.
by Elena Ilie
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