Cash for infrastructure projects

Those ports and shipping companies looking to invest in “green” technologies, improve the logistics chain and generally enhance quality could be eligible for EU funding via the five-year Trans-European Network of Transport (TEN-T) and Marco Polo II programmes.

The latter has a ¢450m ($656m) budget and is operations/infrastructure focused, while the former has a ¢5.4bn ($7.7m) budget and is capital/service orientated.

For example, funding via the TEN-T programme would be for projects intended to develop existing or new sea based transport services and integrated door-to-door chains to enhance regular and frequent short-sea shipping links. Marco Polo II, on the other hand would cover new cross-border freight transport services capable of generating a modal shift away from road.

One project which is to receive 20% of its costs through TEN-T is the Konigslinie project planned for the Baltic area. This rail-based link connecting Scandinavia to the continent is expected to total ¢50m ($72m) with about 90% of that dedicated to infrastructure development.

Elsewhere, the Port of Rotterdam plans to maintain a certain level of investment, although it is possible that some projects will be deferred or slowed down in a bid to diminish costs. Its total investment portfolio for the 2008-2015 period, however, amounts to 40 projects valued at about ¢10bn ($14bn), and includes two liquefied natural gas terminals, three container terminals, four general cargo terminals and seven tank terminals.