2008-04: Germany to UK service is ‘first of many’

EWS has launched the first of many new Channel Tunnel intermodal trains with a new train service from Duisburg in Germany to Manchester. The new service, which will operate daily Tuesday to Saturday, provides intermodal operators and shippers with a next day arrival and the opportunity to bypass the heavily congested M62 motorway. Duisburg is a city of half a million people situated in the north Rhine Westphalia area, traditionally associated with heavy industry. EWS is now part of the DB Schenker organisation and DB Intermodal locomotives haul the train from Germany to the tunnel. EWS, with its extensive experience of operating international services through the Channel Tunnel, takes over at Calais. http://tinyurl.com/3qcfss

2008-04: Freightwise will be represented at "Inter-Transport 2008"

Freightwise will be represented at the Conference/Exhibition "Inter-Transport 2008" (http://www.expo-odessa.com) in Odessa in June 2008.

It is expected that it will be a big event with participations both from the European and Black Sea transport sector.

SETREF plans on having a joint SETREF-Freightwise stand at the exhibition that will serve as means of dissemination for both SETREF and Freightwise. We plan to print related brochures and a poster that will be placed on the stand. Photos from the event will be disseminated.

2008-04: New operator Europe Intermodal joins the European intermodal transport market

"Bosporus-Europe-Express" to start on the Munich - Ljubljana - Halkali v.v. route on 30 March 

(Istanbul, 1 st April 2008). Europe Intermodal, a joint venture between the German Kombiverkehr GmbH & Co KG and the Slovenian Adria Kombi d.o.o. in drugi k.d., is commencing operative and commercial business on 30 March with its new "Bosporus-Europe-Express (BEEX)" train offering intermodal transport to and from Turkey. This new route integrates Halkali, Istanbul's largest container terminal, into the European block train network of Kombiverkehr and Adria Kombi. The train will initially run once a week in both directions on the Munich - Ljubljana - Halkali route. The closing time for acceptance of shipments from Halkali is 16:00 on Wednesdays. Slovenia and Germany will be reached in four to six days. http://tinyurl.com/4cht5d

2008-04: SHORTSEA XML

FREE Technical Workshop 22 April, London

LAST CHANCE TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE

There are just a few places left at this FREE technical workshop that we are holding in London on 22 April.

The aim of the workshop is to provide support to technical representatives (programmers, IT managers etc) from those companies that have an interest in implementing Shortsea XML. The session will include the use of the standards, core component technology and rules for generating XML schemas by using the naming and designing rules (NDR) from UN/CEFACT. At the end of the workshop, participants should have enough knowledge to understand the structure and content of Shortsea XML and be able to implement it effectively within their own organisations.

To reserve a place at this workshop – or for more information – contact Per Bruun-Lie at promotion@shortseaxml.org

www.shortseaxml.org

This workshop is being hosted by Sea and Water - the UK Shortsea Promotion Centre

2008-04: SNCF to buy 75 pct of Germany's ITL rail freight operator

SNCF to buy 75 pct of Germany's ITL rail freight operator

PARIS (Thomson Financial) - French state-owned railway company SNCF said it has signed an agreement to acquire 75 percent in Dresden-based rail freight operator Import Transport Logistik.

The purchase price was not disclosed.

ITL, which has subsidiaries in the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Poland, had sales of 45 million euros last year and posted gross operating profit of 3.7 million, SNCF said.

The German business employs 160 people and is very active in the transport of hydrocarbons, chemicals, cereals and raw materials.

On Sunday, Guillaume Pepy, SNCF chairman, announced that the company plans to launch a 135 euros per share offer for the 57 pct it does not already own in French logistics group Geodis.

http://tinyurl.com/3vchlc

2008-04: French railway bids for freight giant Geodis

French state-owned railways company SNCF has launched a US$211.57 a share cash bid for 58 percent of the stock it does not already own of Geodis SA, the French logistics and transport giant.

The price offered by SNCF's unit, SNCF Participations, represents a 79 premium over Geodis' average share price in March and values the company at $1.73 billion.

Geodis has mandated an independent expert to review the financial conditions of the offer. It has also created a committee with two independent directors who have no conflict of interest with the potential transaction, to also evaluate the terms of SNCF's offer.

SNFC wants to bring Geodis under state control in an effort to create a major European transport and logistics company.

SNCF chairman said last month he wanted his company to become one of the world's top five freight operators by 2012. Geodis is the biggest French freight company.

Geodis and SNCF's freight division had a combined turnover in 2007 of $12 billion, making it effectively the fourth largest European firm in the sector behind DHL, which is part of Deutsche Post, Germany's Deutsche Bahn and the Swiss firm Kuehne & Nagel.

http://tinyurl.com/6ggzkk

2008-04: SBB plans widespread cost-cutting and job losses in a bid to counter the growing deficits at its freight business.

SWITZERLAND: Drastic action was the order of the day on March 6 when the board of Swiss Federal Railways sanctioned a programme of cost-cutting in a bid to compensate for mounting losses at SBB Cargo.

In 2006 the business had lost SFr37-3m, and by the middle of last year it was clear that the future was looking grim. SBB Cargo chief Daniel Nordmann resigned in August, passing the helm to his deputy Nicolas Perrin, but the situation had already deteriorated badly. The 2007 figures, which were due to be announced in Zürich on April 2, are little short of disastrous. SBB Cargo's operating loss rose to a 'massive' SFr87-9m, to which must be added extraordinary items and write-offs totalling SFr102-5m, making a total of SFr190-4m.

In a bid to stem the tide of red figures, SBB set up a taskforce last summer (RG 11.07 p703). This recommended a recruitment ban, a halt to investment and renegotiation of SBB Cargo's performance contract; these were implemented in the autumn. The taskforce also prepared what SBB President Thierry Lalive d'Epinay described as 'a thorough analysis' to serve as the basis for decisions. Following intensive discussions with government, cantons, trade unions and other interested parties, SBB drew up a package of changes expected to save SFr70m a year, although restoring SBB Cargo's financial health is expected to take at least two years.

The entire business is affected, with overheads at the Basel headquarters where SBB Cargo moved in 2001 a top target for economies. The organisation will be slimmed down, work processes improved and 300 jobs lost, of which 65 are posts not filled since recruitment was halted last year. Sales and order processing will be concentrated at Basel, along with the activities of the customer service centre at Fribourg which opened in 2000; 114 staff will be relocated, but this change alone will account for 51 of the 300 job losses.

http://tinyurl.com/4qlpos

2008-04: Berlins nears deal over DB

Following months of disagreement inside the government, Germany's coalition of conservative and Social Democrats appeared close to a deal Monday to sell a quarter of Deutsche Bahn, one of the largest rail networks in Europe, to private investors.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/14/business/bahn.php

2008-04: Inland freight transport up by 5% in 2006

Total freight transport by inland modes (rail, road, inland waterways and oil pipelines) in the EU27 increased by 5% in 2006 compared with 2005, reaching 2 595 billion tkm, among the Member States, the highest increases were recorded in Greece (+42%), Hungary (+16%) and the Czech Republic (+13%), and the largest declines were observed in Cyprus (-16%), Denmark (-8%), Estonia and Ireland (both -3%).

Six Member States accounted for two thirds of total EU27 freight in 2006: Germany (517 bn tkm, +6% between 2005 and 2006), France (283 bn tkm, +3%), Spain (264 bn tkm, +3%), Italy (256 bn tkm, +4%), Poland (208 bn tkm, +11%) and the United Kingdom (206 bn tkm, +3%).

These figures come from a report2 by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, on the modal split in the inland transport of the EU27.

Rail most significant in the Baltic States and Sweden The dominant freight transport mode in the EU27 in 2006 was road, accounting for 73% of the total, with rail accounting for 17%, and the remaining 10% evenly split between inland waterways and oil pipelines. In all Member States road freight transport was the dominant mode, except for Estonia (65% rail) and Latvia (54% rail). After these two Member States, Lithuania (38%) and Sweden (36%) recorded the next highest shares of transport by rail. Apart from Cyprus and Malta, Ireland (99%), Greece (98%), Portugal (95%) and Spain (92%) registered the highest shares of road freight transport in 2006.

Inland waterways accounted for significant shares of freight transport in the Netherlands (31%), Belgium (14%), Germany (12%) and Romania (10%). The highest shares for oil pipelines were observed in Denmark (17%) and Slovakia (15%).

http://tinyurl.com/5og4b4

2008-04: CFR Marfa is to be privatised.

CFR Marfa is to be privatised.

ROMANIA: After years of speculation, proposals and counter-proposals, Minister of Transport Ludovic Orban confirmed on March 16 that state-owned rail freight operator CFR Marfa is to be privatised.

Established as a stand-alone business during Romania's railway reform programme of 1998-99 (RG 3.07 p155), CFR Marfa was always intended to be floated in the longer term. Financial adviser Deloitte and local legal firm Bostina & Associates had reportedly proposed different approaches, and suggestions have been circulating for some time that CFR Marfa shares would be floated on the Bucuresti Stock Exchange later this year. But Orban said the ministry has now decided to sell the business outright through an open tender.

No doubt the ministry has been watching developments across the region. CD Cargo is up for sale in the Czech Republic, although the sale of ZS Cargo was cancelled after a change of government in neighbouring Slovakia. Hungary's MAV Cargo was sold outright to ÖBB subsidiary Rail Cargo Austria at the end of last year, but we understand that the competition authorities in both Hungary and Austria have now launched separate enquiries into alleged irregularities in the sale process. This has not deterred ÖBB from looking at other potential acquisitions; last month Bulgaria's Standard reported that ÖBB and DB had expressed interest in buying BDZ subsidiary Freight Services Ltd.

http://tinyurl.com/6g5vcq

2008-04: Freightwise will be at Polish Logistics Kongress

We are pleased to announce that the FREIGHTWISE project will have a stand at the Polish Logistics Kongress in Poznan, Poland, May 7-9th 2008. This international event combines research with trade participation. Please come and visit this event and call by to learn more about Freightwise.

http://www.logistics.pl/index_en.htm

2008-04: FREIGHTWISE Newsletter 2 Now Uploaded

The second edition of the Freightwise newsletter is now uploaded to the website. Paper copies will also be distributed shortly. Just click to download the newsletter (PDF 300kb). This contains a summary of the first conference in Newcastle and the first details of the next conference in Prague.

2008-03: WP 19 Summary and achievements

The main objectives of WP19 are:

• to develop policy recommendations, technical guidelines, functional specifications and standardisations, which will turn the FREIGHTWISE framework for the development of freight intermodality in Europe into reality,
• to formulate a repository of arguments in favour of intermodal transport based on FREIGHTWISE evidence, and
• to draw attention to the significance of the intermodal approach by identifying the most effective communication channels and by engaging in interaction with policy makers.

To this end, WP19 has performed a concise overview of existing relevant EU policies in the freight transport sector, and placed them in the setting of FREIGHTWISE. In this work, barriers towards intermodality have been identified at several levels, such as standardization, harmonization and legislation. Furthermore, the relevant and influential ‘multipliers’ of the project’s objectives in both Eastern and Western European countries have been identified, while the project’s High Level Advisory Board (HLAB) has been set up for internal guidance, promotion and policy support purposes.

2008-01: Inland Waterway Workshop in Dresden on Project Cargo Management

The partners of Case F-Elbe organized this discussion on the concept of an “information management platform” in order to guide further development within the business case. In addition to the project partners (Deutsche Binnenreederei, Sächsische Binnehäfen Oberelbe, Wallman Terminal, Sequoyah, LogIT and BMT) the workshop was also attended by representatives of the shipper (Siemens) and the overseas shipping company (Rickmers). During the discussion Siemens took the view that the present processes for contracting transport services were sufficient and considered that there was no “market” for a new tool which would only be used for a small part of the transport activities in Siemens. It was not possible to discuss a more generally applied tool without starting a much more complicated process within the whole Siemens Group. ickmers saw the need, but considered the scope too limited and proposed a more global approach including import flows. Being a global player themselves, they would like to see all the parties involved from door to door. They agreed that they often had considerable problems with managing information and coordinating multiple shipments containing several items, arriving from different manufacturers. However, the ad-hoc character of project cargo transport with changing constellations of partners makes it difficult to invest in IT-solutions for intercompany information exchange, even if the dominating use of fax means a considerable workload and introduces an (unnecessary) source of error. DBR and SBO pointed out that other manufacturers than those present and their agents were considerably less structured in their transport management and that much work could be saved and transport quality improved with a more structured approach. A general comment was that the need for improvement was judged differently by different partners. Transport costs represent only 2-5% of the business of the shipper, which of course impacts on the importance given to improvements in transport processes. To the carrier or the integrator, transport is the business and improved efficiency improvements have a direct effect on the bottom line. Advantages and disadvantages with the proposed concept?

• A complete list of items to be shipped is available to all parties from the beginning
• The items are well defined with regard to weight and measurements at every stage (important for stowage planning for barge as well overseas vessel)
• A well structured and documented commissioning process (RfQ-Q-O) facilitates life for carriers and terminals
• The planning and the execution process can be followed by all parties with access rights
• A planned schedule makes it possible to automatically detect deviations

Weak points with the proposed concept

• The concept relies heavily on commitments by all the parties involved. The transport chain view is lost or at least reduced to cover only a part if the responsibilities are not well defined.
• Cost/benefit ratio will be weak when several of the chain partners are not participating.

2008-03: Rail Wagons Equipped with RFID Tags

SCA Transforest now has only one additional rail wagon to equip as part of their business case (Case North-West) in Freightwise. The wagons operate in a logistics system handling extensive paper distribution in Sweden, operating on a just-in-time basis. RFID readers are integrated with wagon monitoring infrastructure operated by the rail infrastructure owner providing benefits to the shipper, the track and wagon maintenance organisations. Integration with the shippers transport management system is an important objective for the business case. Another aspect is standardization as RFID is also tested for other major rail users in Sweden.

2008-03: Fifth Freightwise Project Management Committee meeting (PMC05) on the 2nd and 3rd of April in Rome (Italy)

The fifth Freightwise Project Management Committee meeting (PMC05) has been scheduled on the 2nd and 3rd of April in Rome (Italy).All the workpackage and business case leaders will meet together in order to review the work and make decisions on the current and future activities of the project. The Department of Hydraulics, Transport and Roads of "La Sapienza" University of Rome (DITS) is organizing the meeting in the historical building of the Engineering Faculty, located in the very centre of Rome, very close to the Colosseum. The Logistics and Transport Area of the Department has constituted a Centre of Excellence for Transport and Logistics, involved in Freightwise and in several research projects on the field.

2007-11: News from Work Packages - November 2007

WP11 Freight market characteristics The work on this WP has been completed and provides comprehensive analyses of the freight market structure, modal drivers, requirements for intermodal shift and macro economic variables and dynamics with particular reference to expected changes due to future market and technology trends (e.g. freight management related issues) which have an impact on intermodal market functioning. There are 9 substantive sections, which deal with:

• The macro intermodal transport environment
• ICT
• Trades, traffics and corridors scenario
• Statistics on the European Intermodal Market Size
• The impact from Enlargement on the intermodal market functioning
• The role of public sector and the public private partnerships
• Legal and regulatory frameworks and their impact on market development and on modal choices
• EU supportive funding schemes and their impact to the intermodal market
• The impact from higher security requirements on intermodal market functioning

WP12 Requirement generator Previous related research efforts and pertinent EU policies and regulations have been reviewed and synthesized into recommendations for the needs, requirements, and pitfalls associated with the development of the FREIGHTWISE framework. An ongoing effort is combining the synthesis of the analysis on market needs from WP11 with information provided by the FREIGHTWISE business cases to develop a practical and complete checklist for the implementation of the FREIGHTWISE framework. A high-level formal model, which provides the blueprint for the detailed framework architecture in WP13, is also being developed through an implicit iterative process between WP12 and WP13. WP13 Framework architecture In the first version during phase 1 of the project, architecture for intermodal transport management will be prepared. The roles, functions and already used messages have been detected. Later, the architecture will be updated. FWF (Freightwise Framework) strategy and co-ordination has been prepared. WP14 Implementation rules and guidelines In WP14 a set of rules for deploying the FWF will be designed. It is expected to prepare the provision of technical and configuration guidelines to support the implementation of integrated intermodal transport chains. WP15 Intermodal management services The work planned in WP15 is to provide tools for improving intermodal management. A technical reference system for intermodal management, extension of TMS functionality, communication platforms, and case specific technical support are the main tasks. WP16 Dissemination, training and education WP16 is both a dissemination and a training work package. At this stage we have a working website with both external and internal pages, we have finalised the project brochure in English, German, Spanish, Italian and French and have held a successful international conference at the Life Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne at which various Cases were represented and the EC presented their current plans and views on Logistics following the German presidency which championed logistics. Soon WP16 will start to utilise the early project results to start delivering training materials for Master level students. WP17 Validation and evaluation framework WP17 is in the process of finalizing the validation and evaluation methodology. The validation methodology is the responsibility of the Hellenic Institute of Transport - HIT (GR) and concerns the validation of the FREIGHTWISE Framework. The evaluation methodology has been developed by Mobycon (NL) and describes the evaluation process of the business cases, including aspects such as the zero state analysis, demonstration phase, target levels and criteria. WP19 Policy recommendations WP19 provides recommendations for the design and integration of interoperability for intermodality into European policy. It provides the EC with expertise regarding intermodal transport management including written advice to future legislative initiatives. The expected results are recommendations for intermodal transport interoperability, and support of activities of the Commission such as freight integration activities, freight transport security, etc on the level of policy. WP21 Modelling of current operations Goals of this package are the assessment and modelling of current business operations, and specification of business cases. Identification of opportunities and/or problems based on an analysis of the “as is” status, with the mapping of functions and management processes, as well as the physical and information flow, and including the relationship to legacy ICT systems will be affected.

2007-11: FREIGHTWISE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2007

FREIGHTWISE held its first conference in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK at the end of October. This was attended by over 80 representatives of the Freightwise partners and other interested parties. Speakers included John Berry of DG TREN on the Freightwise position in the EU’s Logistics Action Plan and Jan Tore Pedersen of BMT on the Freightwise approach to Intermodal Freight Transport Management. Other speakers followed who outlined the findings of case studies in many different areas including:

• Scandinavian forestry and steel industries;
• cross border transport links between Finland - Estonia, Finland – Russia and Estonia – Russia;
• an internet based portal to offer intermodal freight management services to SMEs;
• improving electronic messaging and better use of traffic information in Benelux;
• improving the shipment of heavy cargo on the Elbe;
• supporting rail-based solutions between Germany and Greece;
• exploring the preconditions for improving intermodal transport solutions of steel products in the Port of Gijon;
• developments in advanced logistics information exchange in a rail transport service connecting Paris-Piacenza-Gliwice.

Copies of the presentations may be accessed in the Teamspace section of the Freightwise website under WP16 Dissemination, training and education/Conference.

2007-08: First annual international conference on the 31th October 2007

The Freightwise project invites you to it's first annual international conference at the Life Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne on the 31st October 2007. The conference will be preceded by a dinner at the Life Centre on the evening of the 30th October. This will be an opportunity to hear how the project has started, progressed and is developing in many of the key areas of work, focusing on the industrial cases where the Freightwise Framework will be utilised. This is an opportunity to hear how the new Logistics Action Plan incorporating co-modality from the EC DGTREN is developing. This is an opportunity to network with both the 55 research, commercial and industrial partners within Freightwise and the wider ICT and intermodal research community that will attend. The event will be chaired by Tom Zunder, an experienced line manager and intermodal researcher, and will include John Berry from DG TREN as a keynote speaker. This event is open to all and it is free of charge. Please read the full invitation (PDF) and you can register using our form at www.freightwise.info/conference-registration.

2007-08: next Freightwise Project Management Committee on the 30th October 2007

The next Freightwise Project Management Committee will be held at the Research Beehive, room 2.20, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, on the 30th October 2007. It will start at 9.30 am, will conclude around 5pm. The meeting is for Freightwise workpackage leaders and case leaders only. Please register using our form.

2007-05: Project Event 23rd and 24th May in Thessaloniki

The Hellenic Institute of Transport hosted the Project Management Committee meeting on the 23rd and 24th of May at its premises in the Centre of Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) technology park in Thessaloniki.

2007-05: FREIGHTWISE NEWSLETTER Issue 1

DOWNLOAD: PDF-File "FREIGHTWISE NEWSLETTER Issue 1, May 2007"

2006-11: FREIGHTWISE kick-off meeting

Thanks to all participants for attending the FREIGHTWISE Kickoff meeting in Brussels on 16 November 2006. You can now download the Workpackage and Case presentations. Many thanks to the Autoridad Portuaria de Gijón en Bruselas for the generous hosting of the Kick-off and the PMC meeting at the Casa de Asturias. It was a wonderful venue and there was excellent food!