The virtual event Connecting EU Insights, organised by Circle, ended with the webinar “Intermodality, Digitisation & Green Tech: the EU pathway of the Ports of Genoa” which offered speakers the opportunity to illustrate the results of the Vamp Up Project and an update on E-Bridge, both designed to provide Genoa and Vado with a smarter and more competitive edge, spurred by a digital, technological and intermodal development evolution.
The opening addresses were delivered by Paweł Wojciechowski, Coordinator for the Rhine-Alpine Corridor, and Paolo Emilio Signorini, President of the Western Ligurian Port Authority who declared, “A key priority of the Port Authority is to boost physical and digital integration of our ports across the supply chain, in order to optimise the quality service offered to the manufacturing and consumer markets of our hinterland. The Vamp Up and E-Bridge projects, with the vital support of the European Commission, provide important steps in this direction, to sustain the economic activities of our countries”.
The Vamp Up Project is responsible for the construction of rail facilities in the Port of Vado Ligure, including direct on-terminal road links and a smart rail gate automation system equipped to monitor the rail cars in transit in terms of freight flows. Thanks to the contribution of the European Commission, the new Mediterranean gateway of the TEN-T network is fully operational and rail services are running regularly from Vado Ligure to major destinations in the hinterland. Since the inauguration of the full-container terminal 8 months ago, approximately 250 twin units, with over 5000 rail cars, have been handled, accounting for 30% of total port box volumes. The prime objective of Vado Ligure is to continue to develop its connectivity across the global shipping network and upgrade the provision of logistic services to offer a viable alternative from Southern Europe to the industrial and consumer heartland of Europe.
The E-Bridge Project, conceived in response to the tragic collapse of the Morandi Bridge to optimise cargo flows in/out of the Port of Genoa, is designed to develop the intangible infrastructure required for the integrated last mile rail management, to ensure that it is in place once the Third Railway Link across the Apennines is operational.
The topics discussed included digitalisation, evolutive customs corridor procedures, integrated supply chain, smart terminals, Artificial Intelligence and the new Arctic trade route.
Speakers:
Paolo Emilio Signorini, President – Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority
Paweł Wojciechowski – Coordinator for the Rhine-Alpine Corridor
Enrico Maria Pujia – General Director Transport and Rail Iinfrastructures - MIT
Oliviero Baccelli – Academic Fellow of Bocconi University - PTSCLAS
Alberto Pozzobon, Marketing Manager - Western Ligurian Sea Port Authoirity
Luca Abatello, CEO – Circle Group
Francesca Moglia, EU Policy Office – Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority
Jacopo Riccardi, European Project Manager - Regione Liguria
Moderator – Alexio Picco, EU Funding Expert e Managing Director CIRCLE Group
