{"id":4704,"date":"2008-11-22T16:59:00","date_gmt":"2008-11-22T16:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/portstrategy.nfdtesting.uk\/coastlink\/2008\/11\/22\/inland-ports-vital-transport-nodes-or-prime-housing-locations\/"},"modified":"2008-11-22T16:59:00","modified_gmt":"2008-11-22T16:59:00","slug":"inland-ports-vital-transport-nodes-or-prime-housing-locations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/2008\/11\/22\/inland-ports-vital-transport-nodes-or-prime-housing-locations\/","title":{"rendered":"Inland Ports: vital transport nodes or prime housing locations?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Instead of developing inland ports and <\/span> logistics centres, local authorities are <\/span> under pressure to develop inland waterways <\/span> for housing and recreation. A toolkit <\/span> is now available, aimed at helping local <\/span> authorities make balanced decisions <\/span> As the European transport system <\/span> comes under ever-increasing pressure, it <\/span> is becoming more and more important for <\/span> all available transport modes to be used in <\/span> the most efficient way. Freight flows are <\/span> expected to increase at high levels over the <\/span> next decade. Studies done on the European <\/span> Transport Network makes it clear that a <\/span> co-modal network approach is essential in <\/span> order to distribute the goods flows on the <\/span> most effective and efficient way. <\/span> However, this will not prevent greater <\/span> congestion on the road and an urgent <\/span> need for certain parts of the rail network to <\/span> handle the growing volumes of traffic. <\/span> The opportunities provided by inland <\/span> navigation are therefore increasing and <\/span> political support is growing because of <\/span> its low external effects. Moreover, since <\/span> waterways have the capacity to handle <\/span> considerable additional traffic, there is a <\/span> good prospect for this mode of transport.<\/p>\n

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<\/span>Import role of inland ports <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Inland ports are, of course, an essential part <\/span> of the waterways transport chain using, so <\/span> the capacity for transhipment needs to be <\/span> available. These ports provide space for <\/span> important industrial and logistics activities, <\/span> thus creating jobs, turnover, profits <\/span> and welfare. In this respect the inland ports <\/span> are important contributors to the competitiveness <\/span> of the European economy. <\/span> Furthermore, inland ports are also vital <\/span> elements for a sustainable and efficient <\/span> transport system. The reason is very simple: <\/span> without inland ports located along waterways, <\/span> inland navigation would be economically <\/span> impossible in many cases. Studies <\/span> have demonstrated that a key success <\/span> factor for inland waterway transport is <\/span> the availability of locations for industries <\/span> and transhipment centres directly located <\/span> along rivers and canals. Such favourable <\/span> transport connections reduce expensive <\/span> transhipments and pre-\/end haulage processes <\/span> with trucks. <\/span> Examples include heavy industries, such <\/span> as steel plants, power supply plants which <\/span> require huge amounts of coal and ores from <\/span> seaports to the inland locations. It would <\/span> be impossible to create an efficient and <\/span> sustainable transport system based on road <\/span> haulage for these types of supply chains. <\/span> But also there are clear examples along <\/span> smaller waterways, where industries are <\/span> also highly dependent on inland navigation <\/span> – for example, agricultural products such as <\/span> grain or the supply of sand and gravel for <\/span> local construction works. <\/span> In addition to production and processing, <\/span> storage and transhipment are becoming <\/span> more and more important activities at the <\/span> various inland ports. In other words, they <\/span> form multi-mode hubs in the transport <\/span> chain. Moreover there is a trend towards <\/span> the growing importance of inland hubs in <\/span> container logistics, in order to relieve the <\/span> extreme pressure on the sea terminals (eg <\/span> Rotterdam and Antwerp). At the moment, <\/span> there are various extended gate concepts <\/span> in development that do focus on increased <\/span> activities in inland hubs (eg customs, <\/span> consolidation) and will make use of inland <\/span> navigation in order to serve the hinterland. <\/span> Important benefits are the avoidance of congestion and low emissions levels of <\/span> by inland waterway transport compared to <\/span> road haulage. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The view of local authorities <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

However, the decision-making process <\/span> relating to the location of industries and <\/span> the development of new logistic parks is <\/span> often a matter for local authorities. Such <\/span> authorities have to make decisions on the <\/span> economic and social functions that they <\/span> would like to develop in the region. <\/span> Since space is limited – and getting <\/span> more and more scarce – recreational and <\/span> residential functions are competing with <\/span> the industrial and logistic functions that <\/span> could be deployed at waterside areas. As a <\/span> result, in many areas in Europe, inland port <\/span> capacity is under pressure and is becoming <\/span> a bottleneck for further development and <\/span> the growth of inland waterway transport.<\/p>\n

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<\/span>Balancing Nimby-ism with the <\/span> local economy <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a matter of some concern, because <\/span> local authorities often have a limited <\/span> view and knowledge regarding inland <\/span> waterway transport and the added value <\/span> towards economy and quality of life. This <\/span> was underlined by the results of a survey <\/span> done in the Netherlands last year. Seen <\/span> from this perspective, it is hardly surprising <\/span> that local politicians are usually in favour <\/span> of supporting housing projects with a <\/span> nice view on the waterways. This makes <\/span> the voters happy and also provides a lot <\/span> of money for the municipality funds. The <\/span> drawback is of course the lack of possibilities <\/span> of inland waterway transport, especially <\/span> if this results in a \u201creversed modal shift\u201d. <\/span> The required space to support industrial <\/span> and logistic activities is often perceived as <\/span> a \u201cNot In My BackYard\u201d issue. However, <\/span> of course a well functioning network of <\/span> inland ports and waterways is required to <\/span> enable efficient transport networks with <\/span> minimised external effects (emissions, <\/span> congestion, etc.). This results in tensions <\/span> between those functions; and also tensions <\/span> between European\/national policy and, on <\/span> the other side, local policy.<\/p>\n

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<\/span>Tackling the problem <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In the Netherlands there is an initiative <\/span> ongoing to tackle this problem. NEA <\/span> Transport Research and Training and <\/span> Policy Research Corporation have finalised <\/span> a toolkit for policy makers on a regional <\/span> and local level. <\/span> NEA was assigned for this project by the <\/span> Province of Limburg in August 2007. This <\/span> toolkit provides a 10-step approach, with <\/span> instruments to support the analyses and <\/span> decision-making. <\/span> The first goal of this toolkit is to create <\/span> awareness among local authorities about <\/span> the opportunities, contribution and added <\/span> value of IWT and inland ports for the <\/span> region. This is the first step in the toolkit. <\/span> Next, local authorities are supported by <\/span> the toolkit to develop a master plan for the <\/span> port area and to make well balanced decisions <\/span> together with the key stakeholders. <\/span> Finally the toolkit pays attention to the <\/span> implementation and evaluation of such <\/span> projects. <\/span> Moreover, The Dutch Ministry of Transport <\/span> Public Works and Water Management <\/span> is taking action to boost the awareness of <\/span> the inland ports and supports actions to be <\/span> taken by local authorities. There is a budget <\/span> of \u20ac62 million over the next few years <\/span> available to support \u2018Quick-Win\u2019 projects, <\/span> focusing public investment in inland ports <\/span> that will result in more transport by inland <\/span> waterways. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

For more information please contact <\/span> Martin Quispel at NEA on: +31 79 <\/span> 322 2356 or email: mqu@nea.nl. The <\/span> toolkit (Dutch version only).is available <\/span> on NEA\u2019s website: http:\/\/site.nea.nl\/ <\/span> haven\/InstrumentenmapBinnenhavens. <\/span> pdf <\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Instead of developing inland ports and logistics centres, local authorities are under pressure to develop inland waterways for housing and recreation. A toolkit is now available, aimed at helping local authorities make balanced decisions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":4705,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"sponsor":[],"class_list":["post-4704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe-greenport"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4704","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4704"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4704\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4704"},{"taxonomy":"sponsor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sponsor?post=4704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}