The INTERMODAL GREEN ALLIANCE – FOSTERING NODES

Journal of Open ENLoCC, the European Network of Logistics Competence Centers
Issue 2020-1, Article 08

Freight transport in and via urban nodes is growing rapidly and needs to be planned and developed in a coordinated manner in order to make it sustainable and efficient. Terminals and ports often have difficulties coping with the rapidly growing volume of traffic and directing these volumes to sustainable modes of transport because capacities are limited by planning requirements, communication problems between various actors and interest groups. A lack of coordination, especially when joining the TEN-T networks, and the lack of standardized solutions on a technical level, constitute obstacles to the strive to make transshipment processes and last mile traffic more environmentally friendly.

This is where the Interreg project, InterGreen-Nodes aspires to make a difference. InterGreen  establishes reciprocal information flws and appropriate context framing between the European Union  and regional actors, in order to reduce communication gaps between relevant stakeholders. It develops actions plans for all participating regions, but also to tools, that can be used in any other region. And last but not least, demonstrates practical technical solutions, that can be copied by other actors, in order to implement their own sustainable and green solutions at ports and transshipment points.

The project is a coordinated effort between Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Berlin-Brandenburg, Budapest, Koper and the Emilia Romagna and Veneto-regions. The partners analyze funding schemes for investments and set up a common communication strategy, to make funds and new ideas more readily available to urban nodes. Regional Action plans, developed together, for each region, help achieving regional development goals.

Highly visible demonstrators, such as a full-electrical intermodal-terminal, solar-plants in ports, LNG-fueling stations, green building certifications and even an electric ship showcase the possibilities for economically sound, green solutions for ports and transshipment points. All results are made available in the form of handbooks, seminars, webinars and similar outputs to regions and companies interested, in applying such new solutions.

Through the integration into the Scandria®Alliance, the local actors are also being offered a long-term cooperation platform. This cooperation also offers the opportunity to get to know and implement practices in other thematic areas. The Alliance, has already set up working groups on the subjects of “digitization”, “multimodal transport”, “alternative drives” and “cross-border transport”.