COMBINE

COMBINE contributed to a shift to a more sustainable and efficient combined transport in the Baltic Sea region.

Project summary

Combining different transport modes results in additional handling efforts which cost time and money. In order to make it efficient, handling costs should be compensated by lower transport cost of the main leg and last mile of the transport chain. The longer the main leg and the shorter last mile, the more competitive combined transport is, in general. In the Baltic Sea combined transport to date can hardly compete with road transport due to rural structures, comparatively low transport volumes and a long tradition of pure road transport. Thus, the share of combined transport is low. This results in inexperience and insufficient knowledge about combined transport and thus low exploitation of the potential of combined transport. COMBINE made the effort to overcome these challenges.

New technologies and better organization

COMBINE project helped to increase the share of combined transport, where goods are moved by train, ships or barges, with the first and last mile covered by road as short as possible. The project allowed to improve the operation at the terminals and reduce the costs of the last mile by introducing new solutions such as platooning, longer/heavier trucks, e-trucks, and LNG-trucks.

Budgets

COMBINE
in numbers

3.39

Million

Total
2.64

Million

Erdf
0.00

Million

Eni + Russia
0.00

Million

Norway

Achievements

Mapping the combined transport market

COMBINE has strengthened combined transport (CT) in the Baltic Sea region by introducing innovative transport solutions and improving the data basis needed for setting up new services. In addition, it has promoted the needs of the region on a European level and brought relevant stakeholders together. A major benefit has been the transnational exchange and learning process.

The COMBINE partners have prepared a detailed overview of the CT market in the Baltic Sea region. . This includes the terminal landscape (with a focus on combined transport), the legal framework and organisational structure as well as the most promising trade lanes to further develop CT in the region.

Tailor-made pilots and solutions

Interesting pilots have successfully tested innovative CT solutions. In Sweden, transport in the Gothenburg hinterland, today transported by road, has been shifted to rail as a test case. To make the intermodal transport chain efficient, the last mile from the rail terminal to the warehouse has been carried out by High Capacity Trucks (Two 40 feet containers). Another pilot focuses on East-West rail transports involving the Baltic States and Russia as well as Poland and Germany. Recommendations from these pilots can serve as the blueprint for future services.

Bringing the discussions to the European level

COMBINE started a series of consultation meetings with National Ministries to discuss how to strengthen combined transport and how to consider the requirements of the region. The BSR countries follow different approaches to support combined transport when it comes to financial and non-financial support schemes. The future of the combined transport Directive is a hot topic on the European level. COMBINE used this opportunity to bring the needs typical for the region and wishes into the European process.

Outputs

Guideline for implementing international combined transport chains in the Baltic Sea Region

COMBINE performed a spatial analysis of the Baltic Sea region to provide a better understanding of the combined transportation flows, structure, and market conditions. A framework was created in a GIS, with relevant infrastructural data that enables highlighting today's advantages and futuristic potentials of the region. A focused effort was made to source these data from open sources to enable broad usage by all interested stakeholders from the region. COMBINE developed recommendations to implement international combined transportation chains in the Baltic Sea Region and to attract more users to this mode of freight transport, which proved its sustainability benefits both as a business model and an operational practice.

View output Copy direct link to this output

Combined Terminal Strategy - A strategy to push forward interregional CT development

The terminal strategy developed by the COMBINE project gave impetus to further interregional development of the combined transport within the European Union and the Baltic Sea region. The strategy provided an overview of the existing combined transport market and infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region, necessary measures, and recommendations in terminals to strengthen combined transport. Those measures are seen as of strategic importance for the further development of a sustainable and efficient combined transport landscape. New technologies regarding these different parts of the transport chain (first leg, main leg, last mile, and all involved terminal handling processes) as well as modern and efficient transport organization are opportunities for transportation development in the region.

View output Copy direct link to this output

Educational and promotional materials

COMBINE has developed a series of podcasts and webinars to reach out to the public institutions and policy-makers. The webinars were focused on zero-emission and combined terminals, making the European freight and intermodal transport greener, intermodal transport nodes. The Podcasts and the E-book provided and overview and examples of the combined Transport Development from different national perspectives and the intermodal transport policy in EU.

View output Copy direct link to this output

Overview of innovative last mile solutions for the Baltic Sea region

The overview provides arguments for revising combined transport policy in a way that innovations in last mile are duly taken into account. It serves as a basis for further research activities in the field of last mile transportation on national and European levels.

View output Copy direct link to this output

Project Stories