Mediterranean university of Reggio Calabria lead partner of  ISTEN European project on integrated and sustainable intermodal freight transport funded by the Adriatic-Ionian transnational cooperation programme.

Reggio Calabria, 27 February 2018 – ISTEN project – “Integrated and Sustainable Transport in Efficient Network”, was officially launched; it will be devoted to capacity building activities for sustainable and integrated development of intermodal freight transport in the Adriatic-Ionian area. The project kick-off meeting was held on 22nd-23rd February 2018 at the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria and will be led by its Department for Information, Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy Engineering. 

The project, which has been approved with a 1.3 million euros budget, co-financed by the Adriatic-Ionian (ADRION) Transnational Cooperation Programme (ERDF and IPA II funds) will last 24 months. It involves a variety of research institutions and local authorities in the field of freight transport, such as Emilia-Romagna Institute for Transport and Logistics Foundation and the Port Network Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea (Italy), the Port of Koper (Slovenia), Thessaloniki Port Authority and CERTH – Centre of Research and Technology of Hellas (Greece), the Regional Council of Durres, the Port of Bar (Montenegro), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the Port Authority of Šibenik (Croatia). Furthermore, the collaboration of Bologna Inland Terminal, Emilia-Romagna Region, the University of Belgrade, Durres Port Authority and the South East Europe Transport Observatory – SEETO as associated partners aims at ensuring that the greatest possible impact is achieved by ISTEN results: the project is indeed intended to promote the setting up of local working groups and a transnational network that could be replicable also outside the project area. Calabria Regional Authority and namely its Department for Ports, Logistics and Economic Activities expressed interest in ISTEN planned actions and expected results. During the second day of the meeting, a technical visit to the Port of Gioia Tauro gave partners the opportunity to have a close look at the largest transhipment terminal in Italy and one of the main container hubs of the Mediterranean Sea. 

The objective pursued by the project is to enhance the cooperation at both local/regional and transnational levels with regard to freight transport innovative solutions, to improve its efficiency and boost integration between ports and inland infrastructures, involving relevant stakeholders. The next few weeks will see the identification of transport and regional logistics operators, as well as representatives from local business activities to be directly involved in project activities.