Short-sea coastal shipping is on the agenda in the EU as Europe attempts to decide how to handle the increasing transportation problems threatening to congest the system.

The demand for transport in Europe has been estimated to grow by 38% from now to 2010. If nothing is done road vehicle freight traffic alone might increase by nearly 50% and practically come to a halt.

The EU has therefore, among several initiatives, launched an Integration project as part of the 5th R&D Frame Programme. The project focuses on integrating land and sea technology to obtain efficient intermodal door-to-door transport, based on the most promising and advanced ro-ro technologies available today. DNV is part of the project and will be responsible for classifying the proposed new ro-ro vessels, among other items.

DNVs representative, Dr. Per Olaf Brett, emphasises the technology and design challenges that lies in such a project: The main problem to be solved is how to increase the competitiveness of European short-sea shipping to effectively compete with land-based traffic. The plan is to develop new vessels with speeds of 40 knots and higher, which will involve evaluating existing and new designs of propellers, engines and hulls.

On a global scale ships are responsible for the carriage of 97% of the worlds goods, but in Europe trucking dominates freight transport. Compared to truck transport, multimodal transport by water and railway is much more sustainable. But the latter must become more competitive with regard to total transport time, flexibility and costs. The Integration project looks into these aspects, and new alternative solutions are expected to be launched.

The project has a time frame of three years with a total budget of six million Euros.

For more information, contact
Per.Olaf.Brett@dnv.com
Johan.Gutzkow@dnv.com

Date: 2002-09-15