Weastflows case study: 02
Sustainable freight gateways
Foynes Port, Limerick
As an important centre for the import and export of goods in
It is at the heart of the region and is an important contributor to the
a city or region, freight gateways or logistics hubs provide a key
national economy. As well as this gateway, the following areas were
economic contribution to their local region and beyond. They
developed and used as test beds through this project:
support the development of local trade, connect the port with
• Liverpool-Manchester ‘Atlantic’ Gateway
the regional hinterland and enable global freight connections.
• London-Thames Gateway
By applying more sustainable practices to freight logistics
• Luxembourg Gateway
movements, a freight gateway can become more sustainable
• Seine Gateway®
and efficient, whilst remaining competitive. To acknowledge and accredit sustainable freight gateway cities and Weastflows partner, Limerick City & County Council (LCCC) has
regions, a new sustainable freight gateway (SFG) label and quality
developed a best practice model for existing freight gateways to
mark for the sector has been developed. This mark will help ensure
become as sustainable and efficient as possible. LCCC has also
commitment from businesses and organisations to be involved in
created a toolkit to help gateway regions improve freight logistics
a continuous improvement programme. Each year, businesses will
operations. Approaches to help gain the commitment of the freight
demonstrate how they are embedding sustainability practices and
logistics industry have also been explored through enhanced
changes into their decision making process and logistics operations.
stakeholder engagement and consultation. Over time, with a number of businesses and organisations signed The Limerick-Shannon freight gateway on the west coast of Ireland
up and committed to change, more efficient and sustainable
is a strategic export base and logistics hub characterised by the deep
decisions will be made at an operator level. This will help develop
waters of the Shannon Estuary and Shannon International Airport.
more efficient and sustainable gateways, and support their contributions to help meet Europe’s 2020 emission targets.
www.weastflows.eu WEATFLOWS CASE STUDY SUSTAINABLE FREIGHT GATEWAYS JAN 2015 v6.indd 1
05/02/2015 10:25
Sustainable freight gateways
Sustainable Freight Gateway (SFG) mark
SFG mark on vehicle
SFG mark on air freight
Transnational engagement
Lessons and recommendations
A questionnaire enabled Weastflows
• The issues and challenges faced by
partners to feed into the best practice
freight gateways were quite similar across
model, ensuring that a wide scope
the Weastflows partnership despite
of experience was included. At three
differences in infrastructure, location and
workshops across North West Europe
scale. For example, all regions include a
(NWE), stakeholders were presented with
range of stakeholders from all sectors,
the toolkit and mark, which tested and
which require a strong governance
validated the industry’s views on this
structure and effective stakeholder
emerging business model. The knowledge gained from this process was shared with
engagement. • The need to establish strong effective
partners and relevant stakeholders from
governance structures, such as freight
across NWE to encourage other gateways
forums, at a regional level to give
to look at this grassroots approach to
cross-sector representation was a central
gateway development.
finding of the project. Forums should be established by business for business, for
Results and benefits
example Chambers of Commerce taking
Through a review of all gateway test beds,
a leading role in their establishment and
LCCC also identified unique components
management, with a mix of users and
for each gateway, and sought to exploit
enablers. The forum would provide a
synergies between them. The review showed
platform for competitors to talk, network,
that a strong governance structure, effective
collaborate and create new innovative
stakeholder engagement and ownership
products and services for the sector, as
at a local level, along with well-developed
well as improving the attractiveness of
operational efficiency and financial viability,
the gateway as a freight and logistics
were key considerations.
hub. The Limerick-Shannon freight gateway has already established a freight
Other important factors included
forum – the first of its kind in Ireland.
socio-economic impacts, environmental
• LCCC recommends that gateways identify
quality, infrastructure and accessibility
an agency, which manages and supports
and the need to apply a continuous
the launch and implementation of the
improvement programme of change at
sustainable freight gateway branding in
an operator level to support the industry
the region. It is important to examine the
in meeting EU 2020 targets.
existing governance structure, if any, and how stakeholders are best engaged and supported.
Weastflows (west and east freight flows) – an INTERREG IVB North West Europe (NWE) project funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) – aimed to improve and enhance freight logistics across a west-east axis in the NWE region. The project brought together experts from all sectors of the freight transport industry to work towards connecting supply chains in the region with the wider freight network across the rest of Europe and Asia. Through a combination of freight mapping, innovative technology and a drive to promote sustainable logistics, Weastflows has worked to generate a step-change in the industry. This helps deliver economic, social and environmental benefits to both communities and businesses across the region. Lead partners • CRITT Transport et Logistique (FR) • Institute for Sustainability (UK) Partners • 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 for Quantitative Methods (CQM) (NL) • Communication and Tracking Services (CTS) (FR) • InforIT (NL) • Institut du Droit International des Transports (IDIT) (FR) • Intermodality (UK) • Irish Exporters Association (IEA) (IE) • Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) (IE) • Liverpool John Moores University (LOOM) (UK) • Logistique Seine-Normandie (LSN) (FR) • Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) (LU) • Mobycon (NL) • Portsmouth International Port (UK) • South East Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStran) (UK) • Transports Terrestres Promotion Northern France (i-Trans) (FR) • Universität Duisburg-Essen (UNI-DUE) (DE) • University of Science and Technology of Lille (USTL-LAGIS) (FR) • Verband Region Rhein-Neckar (VRRN) (DE)
For further information, please contact: Institute for Sustainability 49-51 East Road, London N1 6AH, UK T: +44 (0) 20 7517 1830 E: info@instituteforsustainability.org.uk www.weastflows.eu
WEATFLOWS CASE STUDY SUSTAINABLE FREIGHT GATEWAYS JAN 2015 v6.indd 2
05/02/2015 10:26