Rhine-Alpine News

15.07.2026

A stronger corridor starts with stronger cooperation

EGTC Rhine-Alpine Chair, Alina Candu

On 7 July 2026, the North Sea–Rhine–Mediterranean Corridor published an interview with Alina Candu, Chair of the EGTC Rhine–Alpine and representative of Confindustria Lombardia, in which she reflected on what the enlargement of the corridor means in practice: which bottlenecks must be addressed first, how the merger can create new opportunities for a more resilient and better-connected European transport system, and why regions, cities and other local actors need to be directly involved in turning European ambitions into workable solutions.At the heart of the interview is a clear message: the new corridor should not be understood simply as a larger line on the European transport map. By bringing together the former Rhine–Alpine and North Sea–Mediterranean corridors, the new configuration creates the possibility to address transport flows, investments and operational challenges across a wider and more connected system.

Alina explains that many of the corridor’s most persistent problems cannot be solved within one country or through one transport mode alone. Rail capacity constraints, congested urban nodes, difficult access to ports and terminals, vulnerable inland waterways and cross-border bottlenecks all affect the functioning of the corridor as a whole. The enlargement therefore creates opportunities to coordinate investments more strategically, improve links between ports and inland terminals, strengthen alternative routes and increase resilience to disruptions.

These benefits, however, depend on practical coordination between national authorities, infrastructure managers, operators, ports, cities and regions. Investment timelines need to be aligned, maintenance works coordinated and critical cross-border sections addressed jointly. More permanent territorial and cross-border cooperation structures could help move from ad hoc exchanges to a more stable approach to corridor implementation.

A particularly important point for the EGTC concerns the role of local and regional actors. Cities and regions are where European transport policy becomes concrete: at stations, ports, terminals, industrial areas and urban junctions where local mobility, long-distance transport and freight come together. As Alina stresses, their involvement is essential to identify realistic priorities, develop implementable projects and ensure that corridor work plans and European funding reflect territorial needs. Through its network of 27 members across five countries, the EGTC Rhine–Alpine works to bring these perspectives into the governance of the enlarged corridor.

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The full Interview

EGTC Rhine-Alpine joins Share4Equity consortium meeting in Montréal

Share4Equity consortium meeting in Montréal, hosted by Polytechnique Montréal and McGill University.

From 17 to 19 June 2026, the EGTC Rhine-Alpine joined the Share4Equity consortium meeting in Montréal, hosted by Polytechnique Montréal and McGill University.

As a project partner, the EGTC contributes to connecting the project’s research with the needs of public authorities, mobility providers and policy stakeholders. The Montréal meeting offered an important opportunity to review progress across the project, discuss how the different work packages are coming together and consider how the results can be translated into practical and transferable knowledge.

Over three days, partners exchanged on the distribution of shared mobility services, user perceptions and mobility behaviour, community-led mobility options and the development of a justice-oriented toolkit. Particular attention was given to transferability and governance: how experiences from different cities can be compared, and how the project’s findings can support local and regional authorities in designing more accessible and equitable mobility systems.

The programme also connected the consortium’s research with concrete examples from Montréal. During a dedicated exchange with BIXI Montréal, partners discussed how the bike-sharing system is planned and operated, how bicycles and stations are distributed across the city, which data informs these decisions and how the service works with public authorities to respond to local mobility needs.

The visit to LocoMotion presented a different model of shared mobility. This neighbourhood-based initiative focuses on borrowing and lending rather than renting, using shared vehicles and equipment as a way to strengthen cooperation between residents and support everyday mobility at community level.

A further discussion with the City of Montréal focused on the territorial distribution of shared mobility services and its implications for equity. The exchange provided insights into how the city is testing approaches to improve accessibility and how questions of service location, inclusion and public policy are addressed in practice. Partners also explored parts of Montréal’s cycling infrastructure and street reallocation projects.

For the EGTC Rhine-Alpine, these exchanges were particularly relevant to its role in supporting the dissemination and uptake of project results among public authorities and mobility stakeholders. They provided concrete examples of how governance, data and cooperation with local communities can influence the accessibility of shared mobility services.

We sincerely thank the Canadian partners for hosting a productive and engaging meeting. The next Share4Equity consortium meeting will be hosted by Politecnico di Milano and will take place in Genoa and Milan from the 15 to the 19 of February 2027.

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The event

Inland Waterway Transport: Strategic Messages from Two Recent Events

In June and July, the Rhine-Alpine EGTC followed two important events focusing on the future of inland waterway transport (IWT): the CCNR Workshop on New Market Opportunities for Inland Waterway Transport in Europe’s Energy and Circular Transition (Brussels, 24 June 2026) and the first NRW Ports Day (Dortmund, 2 July 2026).

Although organised in different contexts, both events reached similar conclusions: inland waterway transport remains a strategic pillar of Europe’s logistics system, but its future competitiveness will depend on innovation, investment and stronger political recognition.

New Market Opportunities for Inland Waterway Transport, CCNR Workshop – Brussels, 24 June 2026

Organised jointly by the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR), the workshop explored how Europe’s energy transition and the development of a circular economy are reshaping freight transport demand. Speakers included experts from the University of Antwerp, Tata Steel Nederland, Essenscia, Hydrogen Europe, Sogestran and other industrial stakeholders, illustrating the diversity of sectors already relying on or exploring inland navigation.

One of the workshop’s central messages was that inland waterway transport should be considered an integral component of Europe’s multimodal transport system rather than an isolated transport mode. The Rhine continues to play a crucial role for European industry, supporting supply chains not only in riparian countries but also in regions that depend on Rhine ports and logistics connections.

Discussions also acknowledged the increasingly challenging operating environment. Climate change, more frequent low-water periods and geopolitical uncertainties are creating new pressures on freight transport and underline the importance of resilient transport corridors.

Industrial representatives demonstrated that inland navigation remains indispensable for traditional markets such as chemicals and steel. At the same time, significant opportunities are emerging from Europe’s energy and circular transition. Rather than relying on one dominant bulk commodity, future growth is expected to come from a wider portfolio of specialised logistics services, including:

Transport linked to circular economy value chains;
CO₂ transport and carbon management;
renewable energy products and alternative energy carriers;
intermodal logistics solutions;
high-value industrial supply chains.

The discussions also highlighted several conditions necessary to unlock these opportunities:

accelerated innovation, including automated navigation, AI-supported planning and digital permitting;
a clear and coherent regulatory framework across the multimodal logistics chain;
closer cooperation between operators, ports, logistics providers and public authorities;
greater operational flexibility, allowing inland navigation to evolve from a traditional bulk carrier into a fully integrated logistics partner.

Finally, several speakers stressed that inland waterway transport remains insufficiently recognised outside the sector itself. Raising awareness of its contribution to industrial competitiveness, resilience and decarbonisation will be essential to secure the long-term public investment needed to modernise infrastructure and address the growing maintenance backlog.

First NRW Ports Day – Dortmund, 2 July 2026

The first NRW Ports Day, organised by Duisport and Dortmunder Hafen AG under the motto „Strengthening NRW’s Ports – For a Strong Economy and a Secure Future“, brought together around 150 representatives from ports, industry, politics and logistics. Among the keynote speakers were Oliver Krischer, Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of North Rhine-Westphalia, together with representatives of Duisport, Dortmunder Hafen AG and the wider port community.

A dominant message throughout the conference was the need to increase the visibility of inland navigation and inland ports. Despite their essential contribution to economic activity, ports often remain largely absent from public debate. As Minister Oliver Krischer summarised: „No shipping, no shopping.“

The conference also highlighted the significant investment challenge facing the Rhine waterway system. Participants referred to an estimated funding gap of more than €3 billion over the next decade for the maintenance and modernisation of inland waterways. Securing stronger financial commitments from the federal government was identified as a key priority.

At the same time, speakers emphasised that investment must extend beyond waterways themselves. Inland ports are becoming increasingly important as multimodal logistics hubs, connecting waterborne transport with rail and road while supporting industrial transformation and supply chain resilience.

Innovation was identified as another essential driver of future competitiveness. Digitalisation, automation and smarter logistics solutions will help improve operational efficiency while making inland navigation more robust and attractive for new markets.

For the Rhine-Alpine EGTC, the discussions at both events reinforce a common conclusion: maintaining the Rhine as a reliable, innovative and well-connected transport corridor is not solely a transport objective. It is also fundamental to Europe’s industrial competitiveness, territorial cohesion and resilience. Achieving this ambition will require coordinated action across governance levels, sustained investment and continued cooperation between public authorities, infrastructure managers, ports and the logistics sector.