From China to the Rhine-Alpine Corridor: Future challenges and the impact of emerging trade routes on the RALP Corridor

Rhine-Alpine Talks

The 13th edition of the Rhine-Alpine Talks takes place on 2 December 2022, from 11:00 – 12:00 h. It explores future challenges for the Rhine-Alpine (RALP) Corridor in the face of increasing transport flows and logistics from emerging global trade corridors. These new routes include not only the intercontinental rail freight connections between China, Russia and Europe (Belt and Road Initiative), but also the Middle East and Northeast Europe (International North-South Corridor). Given the increasing global transport flows over the next decades, it is important for EGTC members and relevant stakeholders to establish a sound and fundamental understanding of the impact of new geo-economic trends on regions and cities along the RALP Corridor.

The EGTC has been involved in a 3-year Horizon 2020 project, PLANET, which aims to establish several future scenarios for assessing the expected impact of emerging trade routes on the TEN-T Corridors (https://www.planetproject.eu). The RALP Corridor was selected for one of Living Labs for the PLANET project, looking into the potential impact on the RALP Corridor of handling considerable volumes of goods due to expanding Eurasian rail freight. For the effective impact assessment three simulations (year 2019, 2030 and 2050) are developed in order to highlight the destinations of these flows and terminals facilitating inter-modal connections for first and last mile.

The main goal of this event is to discuss future investment needs along the RALP Corridor and innovative ways of overcoming capacity issues through digitalization and optimisation, which would bring policy implications for TEN-T Corridors.

For an up to date programme and registration, see: https://www.egtc-rhine-alpine.eu/events/rhine-alpine-talks-13/

DB Cargo increases freight transport process by up to 45 percent

Source: Alexander Droeger on Pixabay

In order to achieve the climate goals, it is necessary to transport more goods by rail. DB Cargo now wants to collect significantly more for this – and is alienating the customers. As SPIEGEL reported on 17 November 2022, DB Cargo is causing a stir in the German economy with a massive price increase of up to 45 percent. DB Cargo justifies this with higher energy costs and rising inflation rates. DB Cargo has been making high losses for years. It was 351 million euros last year alone, although the company received a quarter billion euros in corona aid and 70 million euros in grants. Without these funds, the minus in 2021 would have been 670 million euros.

Read full article here (in German): https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/deutsche-bahn-verteuert-gueterverkehr-um-bis-zu-45-prozent-verkehrswende-in-gefahr-a-bc4aaf83-20d3-45bf-94bb-56bf42cd3297

Trinational Revue „ENERGIE vis-à-vis“

Source: TRION-climate e.V.

In 2020, TRION-climate e.V. introduced a new review „ENERGIE vis-à-vis“, in which specific energy topics are viewed from a German, French and Swiss perspective. The sixth edition of the review from November 2022 is dedicated to the current status and development prospects of hydrogen technology on the Upper Rhine. In the beginning, an overview of the perspectives of hydrogen development and the hydrogen strategies of the various sub-areas is given. Thanks to the contributions of the members of TRION-climate e.V., a spectrum of innovative projects rounds off this issue. The Upper Rhine is thus seen as particularly suitable for establishing a hydrogen market, both in terms of production and use. See the review here: https://trion-climate.net/energie-vis-a-vis