Issue 01: Summer 2013
Welcome to the first Weastflows (West and East Freight Flows) project newsletter. This edition features some of the latest news and information from across the project. Bringing together experts from all sectors across North West Europe (NWE), Weastflows* aims to help enable freight movement to be more efficient and sustainable. Weastflows is undertaking research and exploring ICT solutions to make better use of existing infrastructure and freight traffic ‘flows’ and encourage a shift from road haulage to more sustainable rail, sea and inland waterway transport. These solutions are being piloted across a range of logistics networks to demonstrate how these approaches can deliver real commercial benefits. The project is also looking at the need for connected freight flows with the rest of Europe, Asia and America. Jointly leading the project are Le Havre-based logistics and transport institute, CRITT TL and the Institute for Sustainability in London, who partner with organisations from countries across NWE including Belgium, Ireland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the UK. For more information on Weastflows visits www.weastflows.eu * The project is part of the INTERREG IVB NWE programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Improving the flow of freight in Portsmouth Weastflows partner, Portsmouth International Port, one of the UK’s largest fresh produce ports, has introduced a new system that reduces the environmental impact of the fruit and vegetable supply process.
The tracking system gives shippers ‘real-time’ information about where their fruit is. This reduces waste by making sure the shipments are collected at exactly the right time, helping to keep fresh produce in perfect condition.
The bespoke ‘track and trace’ system features barcodes that are attached to products the moment they start to make the journey from field to supermarket. Feeding the information into a web portal, this allows organisations involved in the supply chain to monitor the progress of each shipment.
There is a reduction in wasted journeys, with heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) only needing to be dispatched when produce is ready for collection; this ultimately means a reduction in CO2 emissions. It also helps to ensure full advantage is made of empty space in trailers, reducing the overall number of lorries on the roads allowing the whole process to run more efficiently.
It is believed to be the first time a UK port has introduced a web-based tracking system for fresh produce, allowing full traceability from anywhere in the world. Growers, shippers, wholesalers and retailers are all benefitting from this use of technology.
www.weastflows.eu
For more information visit: www.weastflows.eu/ news/improving-the-flow-of-freight/
Maps launched to identify sustainable freight routes Comprehensive maps of North West Europe have been produced using Geographical Information System (GIS) data to show existing freight transport infrastructure and planned upgrades across all modes including road, rail and sea. Undertaken by Weastflows partner, AURH (Town planning agency of the Le Havre and Seine Estuary area in France), this new atlas comprises 32 maps at North West European level and 16 maps at regional level. the maps present each transport infrastructure by mode and also future infrastructures planned. For more information visit: www.weastflows.eu/ news/new-maps-launched/
Issue 01:
Summer 2013
Weastflows partners
From West to East: Boosting cross-Channel rail freight
Weastflows at global transport and logistics event in Munich
In comparison to maritime and shuttle services, cross-Channel rail freight is continuing to underperform. The Weastflows project provides a timely opportunity to address a range of
The Weastflows project was showcased to transport and logistics industry professionals at the Transport Logistic event in Munich in June.
issues currently constraining intermodal rail freight.
This year, Transport Logistic 2013, the world´s biggest trade show for logistics, mobility, IT and supply chain management, attracted a record 53,000 trade visitors over the four day event.
One of the key investments being made by the project in the UK is helping turn a former riverside industrial site on the Thames at Northfleet into a new development platform for multimodal distribution and manufacturing. This work is being led by consultants Intermodality in association with rail terminal developers Kilbride Group and the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA). Located alongside one of Kimberly-Clark’s major UK paper mills and having good access to the Thames, Network Rail, HS1 and the A2, the site was at risk of being turned into more riverside housing, depriving the South East of a potential local freight interchange. Action by the former South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and latterly by the HCA secured the former factory site following closure. Working with the local authority (Gravesham Council) a mixed-use masterplan for the site is being developed, focused on employment and exploiting multimodal opportunities. For more information visit: www.weastflows.eu/ news/boosting-cross-channel-rail-freight/
The Weastflows’ lead partners, CRITT TL and the Institute for Sustainability along with partner, Tudor presented the Weastflows project to key industry stakeholders through a series of briefing sessions at their exhibition stands.
• Agence d’Urbanisme de la Région du Havre et de l’Estuaire de la Seine (AURH) (FR) • Beter Bereikbaar Zuidoost-Brabant (BBZOB) (NL) • Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM) (NL) • Centre de Recherche Public Henri Tudor (TUDOR) (LU) • Centre for Quantitative Methods (CQM) (NL) • Communication and Tracking Services (CTS) (FR) • InforIT (NL) • Institut du Droit International des Transport (IDIT) (FR) • Intermodality (UK) • Irish Exporters Association (IEA) (IE) • i-Trans/ Transports Terrestres Promotion (TTP) (FR) • Liverpool John Moores University (LOOM) (UK) • Logistique Seine Normandie (LSN) (FR) • Mid-West Regional Authority (MWRA) (IE) • Mobycon (NL) • Portsmouth International Port (UK) • South East Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStran) (UK) • Universität Duisburg-Essen (UNI-DUE) (DE) • University of Science and Technology of Lille (USTL-LAGIS) (FR) • Verband Region Rhein-Neckar (VRRN) (DE)
Other news... For more information visit: www.weastflows.eu/ news/largest-logistics-trade-fair/
Weastflows online portal coming soon! The ‘GeoWeastflows’ online portal will soon be available to access via the Weastflows website. This will host all key information including maps and data gathered from across the project in one place.
To be informed of the launch of the portal, register your details at http://geo.weastflows.eu/
www.weastflows.eu
Exploring ‘last mile’ logistics solutions Building on Weastflows activity, LaMiLo (Last Mile Logistics), an EU funded project, has been set up to create a step change in freight deliveries by ensuring that the ‘last mile’ of a supply chain is fully considered when planning a freight logistics journey. LaMiLo brings together all sectors of the freight transport industry to explore ways to change behaviour of private companies, the public sector and consumers to make better use of existing transport infrastructure and networks. For more information visit: www.lamiloproject.eu