NEWS

The interactive intermodal terminal database, which has been developed within the framework of the AGORA project and was launched in September 2010, started with data on terminals operated by AGORA-partners. It's the aim to expand the database geographically and from the content perspective continuously. Next to the mapping of the location, contact details are displayed and users get access to infrastructural and operative indicators of the terminals. With an improved layout and additional features, KombiConsult, manager of the intermodal terminal database, was the first to provide a European platform for these important infrastructure installations. At the same time with the relaunch now information on over 140 intermodal terminals are presented.

KombiConsult seeks to keep the database updated and to extend continuously. If terminal operators should miss "their" terminal or can provide updated information in the meanwhile, they are invited to request an entry or update via an integrated form.

Access to the interactive database and information on the respective intermodal terminals is provided at www.intermodal-terminals.eu/database.

In the AGORA group operators of important European intermodal terminals are working together in the continuous improvement of their terminals' efficiency.

KombiConsult is an independent consultancy specialized in all aspects of intermodal transport.

KombiConsult, already successful in supporting several customers from the transport industry on the application and implementation of Macro Polo projects, caught up on recent changes and information on the new Call 2011 during the Information Day 2011 in Brussels. The new Call is estimated to be published early October and shall be open till 16 January 2012.

The Marco Polo programme stands for an initial subsidy of up to € 2 per 500 tkm traffic shift from road to other environmental friendly transport modes as rail and waterways. In the last Call 2010, which has had an available budget of € 63.54 million, a total of 31 of 101 proposals were chosen to sign Grant Agreements with the European Commission, eventually receiving a committed budget of € 53.34 million. Now, in the new Call 2011, a budget of € 56.87 million shall be available, meaning that about 30 projects can be financed again.

Political priorities are increasingly maritime projects, for which a certain share of the budget is exclusively held available. On the other hand a special evaluation for maritime projects will be put in place, concentrating on the prevention of distortion of competition. Further changes in the new Call 2011 will be the awarding of "Bonus points": for projects showing social benefits, for complex tri-modal projects with intermodal integration of logistic chains, and for maritime projects reducing polluting emissions. Moreover modal-shift projects must now have duration of minimum 2 years.

Further general information can be found on the official Marco Polo homepage at http://ec.europa.eu/marcopolo. For concrete modal shift projects KombiConsult is always at your disposal.

DB Netz, DB Schenker Rail, DHL Freight, DUSS, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics und Kombiverkehr haben mit Unterstützung der beiden Beratungsgesellschaften HaCon und KombiConsult das Projekt XPressNet realisiert.

Im Rahmen dieses Forschungsprojektes wurde ein hochwertiges Netzwerk für den Transport zeitkritischer Sendungen des KEP- (Kurier-, Express,- Paket-) und Stückgutverkehrs auf der Schiene entwickelt und demonstriert, das künftig elf deutsche Wirtschaftszentren verbindet. Die Kunden profitieren von schnelleren Laufzeiten sowie verbesserten Ladeschlusszeiten und Umschlagsprozessen. Die für diese zeitkritischen Sendungen wichtigen Faktoren Pünktlichkeit und Zuverlässigkeit werden zusätzlich durch eine permanente Transportüberwachung der Schienenverkehre und die intensivere Schulung der Mitarbeiter deutlich erhöht.

Die Ergebnisse der konstruktiven Zusammenarbeit werden in einer übersichtlichen Informationsbroschüre zusammen gefasst und auf den Messeständen der Projektpartner erläutert.

Durch die konsequente marktorientierte Ausrichtung des Projektansatzes wird die Weiterführung des Konzeptes über die Projektlaufzeit hinaus angestrebt. Die Ladekapazitäten der einzelnen Züge und Zugrelationen werden künftig durch unternehmensspezifische Aktivitäten im Kombinierten Verkehr (KV) der Partner Hellmann (‚Rail Solutions'), DHL Freight (‚Parcel InterCity') und Kombiverkehr (‚de.NETexpress') vermarktet.

Kombiverkehr Deutsche Gesellschaft für kombinierten Güterverkehr mbH & Co KG

Zum Laurenburger Hof 76, 60594 Frankfurt am Main

Phone +49 69/7 95 05-144; Fax +49 69/7 95 05-209

E-Mail cbuechner@kombiverkehr.de

Internet www.kombiverkehr.de

The 13th International Exhibition for Logistics, Telematics and Transport, presenting the entire world of transport for logistics services and telematics, inhouse transport and materials flow as well as freight transport systems, takes place from 10 to 13 May 2011 in Munich.

KombiConsult will again participate and would like to welcome you on the common stand of the Hessian Agency in Hall B3, Stand No. 213/316.

The 2010 Report on Combined Transport in Europe has just been published by UIC and its Combined Transport Group.

This periodic publication, researched and prepared on behalf of UIC by KombiConsult and K&P Transport Consultants, is the third in the series (previous reports focused on the years 2005 and 2007). It addresses issues such as

• growth forecasts for domestic and international combined transport,
• market structures
• business models
• market shares per traffic segment etc.

It also attempts to quantify combined transport's contribution to the overall economy.

The 2010 Report on Combined Transport in Europe is available in the media area, but also at the UIC Homepage.

In recent years, European intermodal terminal operators have been working together successfully in several projects (amongst others DIOMIS and AGORA) to share experiences, how to improve the capacity, performance, efficiency, quality and profitability of intermodal terminals ("good practices").

After the expiry of the EU-funding Project AGORA this good collaboration shall be continued in the form of a permanent working group. The name of the working group will be "Terminal Interest Group" (synonym: AGORA group).

The objectives of this cooperation include:

• Exchange of „good practices".
• Standardization of processes ("Quality Label").
• Development of a standardized set of key performance indicators.
• Exchange of information's on innovations, definition of technical standards as well as qualification of staff and trainings.
• Networking between participants in intermodal transport
• Raising awareness on the role of terminals in intermodal supply chains;
• Improvement of the availability of market relevant information and the transparency and accessibility of combined transport terminal services for third parties;
• Encouragement of initiatives in the interest of intermodal operators.
• Improvement of data exchange with partners and customers.
• Internet platform (www.intermodal-terminals.eu).

Terminal operators are welcome to contact one of the member companies for further information concerning AGORA membership.

This announcement was released on the AGORA Final Conference in Frankfurt on 9th of November 2010 in the presence of 40 representatives of European intermodal terminals, ministries of transport of Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Slovakia were as well as associations of the intermodal community.

www.intermodal-terminals.eu

As a benefit of the European Research project CREAM („Customer-driven Railfreight services on a European mega-corridor based on Advanced business and operating Models"), about 950 mill. tkm will be shifted from road to rail on the corridor Rotterdam/Antwerp - Greece/Turkey in the current year. This is more than 400% than expected at the beginning of the project in 2007, explained the consulting companies in charge, HaCon and KombiConsult, on the final conference on 4 November 2010, in Brussels.

During the four years of the project, a total of 2,2 billion tkm were transported on rail on this corridor, additionally. This is equal to 115.000 truck-loads and 145.000 t CO2 savings.

25 companies from 12 countries participated in CREAM, with the aim to increase the effectiveness of rail. This was achieved by e.g. the use of multisystem locos, shortened border crossing procedures, alternative routings via short sea, a train monitoring system with status quo information, and innovative technologies for carrying ordinary semi trailers in unaccompanied intermodal transport.

www.cream-project.eu.

A detailed press release can be downloaded in the media area.

CREAM has paved the way to revitalize the rail freight transport on the European corridor from Benelux to Turkey. Especially the technological developments presented at the InnoTrans 2010 are a big step forward to access new markets for rail transport. That was the general feedback from a delegation of the European Commission visiting the CREAM stand at the InnoTrans.

During the official presentation to the Project Officer Dr. Theodor Schlickmann from the EU-Commission (DG MOVE - Directorate General for Mobility and Transport), the respective CREAM partner companies explained the new solutions and their positive impact on future rail freight transport.

Thanks to CREAM, a new software solution for train monitoring is now available. It incorporates real-time information from the infrastructure companies or via newly developed GPS devices. Furthermore, hardware components, such as an innovative semitrailer for plate glass transport, a dual power locomotive, and a new simple and low-cost solution to load non-cranable semi-trailers on standard waggons have been developed within the project which has been coordinated by the Hannover-based software and consulting specialist HaCon.

The highlights presented at the InnoTrans:

• NavMaster - Intelligent GPS tracking and RodoTAG - Mileage counting for freight waggons - Eureka Navigation Solutions
• Train Monitor - The integrated IT system for real-time and ex-post train monitoring - HaCon
• FLOATRAILER - The first float glass trailer which can be fully integrated in intermodal production systems - Offergeld Logistik
• ISU - The unique handling technology for road-rail transhipment of non-cranable semi-trailer - Rail Cargo Austria & Ökombi
• Futura - The innovative dual-power loco concept - by Voith Turbo Lokomotivtechnik

www.cream-project.eu.

The interactive intermodal terminal database, presenting information on terminals of all AGORA -Partners in a first step, was launched today.

Information on intermodal terminals is required by intermodal operators, customers of intermodal transport services and the "interested community" of intermodal supporters. Several sources of information exist:

• The intermodal terminal operators themselves
• Ports or logistics centres in which the terminals are located
• Companies to whom the terminals belong
• Regions or countries in which they are located
• Intermodal operators or other institutions

Each of these sources provide a specific set of information in various formats and actuality. With this site, operated by KombiConsult with the support of AGORA-Partners the approach is to provide a single access to uniform information on intermodal transport terminals in Europe.

Starting with the data on terminals operated by AGORA-Partners we seek to expand the database geographically and from the content perspective continuously.

To have access to the interactive database, which has been developed within the framework of the AGORA project, and to gain information of the respective terminals of all AGORA-Partners, please click here: www.intermodal-terminals.eu.

2010 is the final year of the CREAM project. CREAM offers several opportunities to learn more about the project achievements. Next are:

• InnoTrans 2010 trade fair on 21-24 September in Berlin - you will find CREAM in hall 4.1 at stand 102
• Final CREAM conference - this event will be held at the beginning of November 2010 in Brussels. Invitations and information on the conference program will be distributed in September.

The 12th International Exhibition for Logistics, Telematics and Transport, presenting the entire world of transport for logistics services and telematics, inhouse transport and materials flow as well as freight transport systems, takes place from 12 to 15 May 2009 in Munich.

KombiConsult will again participate and would like to welcome you on the common stand of the Hessian Agency in Hall B3, Stand No. 213/316.

In November 2006, when the Report on Combined Transport (CT) in Europe 2005 was published as part of the DIOMIS project, it has found approval of the intermodal industry. As it was intended to update this report every two years, we herewith present the 2008 edition to cover the situation of CT in 2007, with expanded sources and coverage.

The full report can be downloaded in the media area. For more information about the follow-up DIOMIS II and some other reports, click here: UIC DIOMIS.

The objective of the Conference held at the UIC on 17 April was to present the Agenda 2015 for Combined Transport in Europe to the transport industry.

Agenda 2015 for Combined Transport in Europe is the concluding report of the DIOMIS study (developing infrastructure and operating models for intermodal shift) carried out by KombiConsult and K+P Transport Consultants under UIC guidance.

The Agenda 2015 as well as all other results of the DIOMIS-study can be downloaded in the media area. For more information you are also invited to visit the project website under UIC DIOMIS.

Within the framework of the BRAVO project, combined transport operators, railway undertakings and other partners have worked on the improvement of the rail freight transport through the Brenner Corridor for the last three years and have reached remarkable results.

At the final BRAVO conference in München, on 17th and 18th of April 2007 the partners want to report and discuss on how this has been achieved in detail, on the consequences for the clients and on how these results can be linked to a European Masterplan.

We invite you to participate in the conference, detailed agenda and practical information can be found here, and ask you to return the reply form to the UIRR. Register today...

CREAM connects Northsee and Bosporus with seamless railfreight services. Since January 1st 2007 25 companies and research institutes are working on improving the international rail freight transport on the European Mega-Corridor between the BeNeLux countries and Turkey as well as Greece.
Due to the enlargement of the European Union and the increasing distribution of industrial production sites in recent years this corridor is counted one of the trans-European axis with the highest growth potential in freight transport. It is planned to develop and demonstrate multiple seamless and road-competitive relations in rail freight and intermodal transport. According to the market requirements of the logistics industry new offers will be developed for the entire corridor as well as for parts of it between economic centres, e.g. in Germany and Romania. The involved partners expect to achieve a modal shift from road to rail of about 200 million tonne-kilometres during the three year project.

The partners are carrying out the works to achieve this ambitious target in the framework of the CREAM-Project, which is supported by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport (DG TREN), in the framework of the 6th Framework Programme. The European Commission has selected the project because it builds bridges between different European regions and transfers best-practices for seamless rail freight services to the new Member States and Candidate Countries.
The companies engaged in CREAM have proved in recent years that this formular works. Based on that know-how the CREAM-Partners intend to increase the reliability and sustainability of rail freight services on this corridor by developing and demonstrating a comprehensive corridor quality management system for the entire corridor.

In order to assure a high effectiveness towards this primary target the system shall be supported by a couple of R&D (Research and Development) components. Among others the following is foreseen:

• advanced business - and innovative train production models to attract different target markets,
• interoperable rail traction by multi-system locomotives and improved border crossing procedures,
• alternative routings using „motorways of the sea",
• development of an advanced train monitoring system allowing railways customers real time information,
• innovative technologies for the transport of temperature controlled cargoes and semi-trailers in unaccompanied intermodal transport.

The project is managed by the German consultancy companies HaCon, Hanover and KombiConsult, Frankfurt am Main.

The acronym CREAM is standing for: ‘Customer-driven Rail-freight services on a European mega-corridor based on Advanced business and operating Models'.

Contact for further information:
Rainer Mertel, Geschäftsführer, KombiConsult GmbH, Ludwig-Landmann-Straße 405, D-60486 Frankfurt am Main,

Tel: +49-69-79505140, Fax: +49-69-79505179, e-mail: rmertel@kombiconsult.com

Quick Facts:
Project Management: HaCon, KombiConsult
Budget: 24.9 million Euro

Partners:
HaCon Ingenieurgesellschaft (Co-ordinator)
Balnak Logistics Group
Betuwe Route Exploitatie Maatschappij (BREM)
Bulgarian State Railways - EAD
CFR Marfa - Romanian National Railway Company for Rail Freight Transportation
Delft University of Technology / OTB Research Institute
Hellenic Railways
Hungarian State Railways Corporation
Intercontainer Austria
Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge
KombiConsult
Kombiverkehr Deutsche Gesellschaft für kombinierten Güterverkehr
Lokomotion Gesellschaft für Schienentraktion
Macedonian Railways
National Technical University of Athens
Rail Cargo Austria
Railion Deutschland
Railion Nederland
Rail Traction Company
Serbian Railways
Slovenian Railways
Stinnes AG (DB Logistics)
Transport Route Wagon (TRW)
Turkish State Railways
Union Internationale Des Chemins De Fer

Project web-site: www.cream-project.eu

The press release can be downloaded in the media area.