The European Commission organised in Lyon the Connecting Europe Days – formerly known as TEN-T days. The event gathered some 1500 participants, politicians, industry representatives and members of the Commission to discuss transport and mobility issues. In concrete terms, the goods are massaged by ULS at the Port of Lyon (pallets, crates, Big Bags, parcels and courier services), loaded onto a river barge, transported up the Rhone to the Morand Bridge in just under 50 minutes and transhipped onto the quay. They are then picked up by electrically-assisted bicycles for final delivery to individuals, businesses and companies in the city centre.
IWT Platform representatives attended at this event – gathering more than thousand representatives of the EU and international institutions as well transport and related stake holders – to discuss transport infrastructure topics.
During the official parts IWT Board member Philippe Grulois participated at a panel discussion in the Rhine Alpine Corridor forum meeting and voiced the sector needs regarding the waterway infrastructure on this important IWT corridor.
In the framework of the CE days, EFIP and INE with their national members hosted a meeting of Director Generals. Theresia Hacksteiner, Secretary General EBU and Executive Director of the IWT Platform was invited to a panel discussing decarbonisation and energy transition of inland waterways and ports together with the colleagues from EFIP and INE. In addressing the questions how inland and shoreside shipping participate to sustainable transport she took the possibility to call upon the Director Generals attending the meeting to provide sufficient funding for the necessary IWT infrastructure, including for alternative fuels in ports.
