“Connecting Europe Express” promoting Liguria and Rhine-Alpine Corridor

Seminar on board of Connecting Europe Express. Photo: Liguria Region

On 7 September, the Connecting Europe Express travelled along the southern part of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor heading from Milan to Genoa. On board of the train, prof. P. Wojciechowski, the European Coordinator for the Rhine-Alpine Corridor, chaired a seminar organized by Liguria Region, “The Ligurian part of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor – restart, development, resilience”.

The event was very much appreciated by the Coordinator P. Wojciechowski, in terms of the technical panel on board of the train. It included presentations of the Genoa and Savona Port Authorities, Liguria Region, and infrastructure operator RFI, as well as institutional meeting in the regional headquarters with councillors Andrea Benveduti and Giovanni Berrino and the port president Paolo Emilio Signorini. The coordinator declared “impressive” both the progress of the Giovi Third Pass hinterland connection and the project of the new Dam. He praised the regional commitment of coordination between NGEU, national and regional funds to be activated in the future and to act on the next CEF calls for complementarity.

The promotional train presently runs across Europe, stopping in many places including the Rhine-Alpine corridor. Find the arrival date for your city here (external link).

Zuid-Holland: Container barge powered with battery container

Zero emission container barge in commercial service. Photo: ZES

The container barge Alphenaar has started commercial operation with innovative electric propulsion: The vessel gets its energy from a power pack in an on-board container of standard 20 ft. dimensions, allowing for easy storage and quick exchange of batteries. It shuttles across the province of Zuid-Holland in the Netherlands, from Alphen aan den Rhijn to the port of Noordwijk, with beer containers for export.

Zero Emission Services (ZES) aims to realise 30 zero-emission shipping routes by 2030. The company was founded last year by ENGIE, ING, Wärtsilä and the Port of Rotterdam Authority with the support of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, thereby taking an important step in the transition to emission-free inland shipping. Read the whole news here (external link).

Investments for 10-minutes headways in the Netherlands

Increased train frequency tested in the Netherlands. Photo: NS

To increase attractivity of passenger services in the densely populated areas of the Netherlands, rail operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen and infrastructure operator ProRail prepare for regular headways of just ten minutes. Such increased frequency of passenger trains has potential consequences not only for freight services, but also e.g. for the operation of road crossings. Thus, realization of that plan needs further investment. Test runs with Intercity trains every ten minutes between Schiphol airport and Arnhem at the Rhine-Alpine corridor will operate every Wednesday until December. ProRail gives an insight into the infrastructure needs and its own ambitions here (external link).