OPTIMED IMPLEMENTATION: Towards a new Mediterranean Corridor: from South-Eastern to North-Western ports

The project Motorways of the Sea OPTIMED, IMPLEMENTATION – Towards a new Mediterranean Corridor: from South-Eastern to North-Western ports was granted the UfM labelling from 01-06-2016 to 18-12-2019

The main objective of the Project is the optimisation and strengthening of the trade connections among the ports of the Mediterranean area by means of improvements to the commercial connections of public and private operators in the maritime transport and logistics sector from the countries of the north-western Mediterranean shores (Spain, France and Italy) and the south-eastern Mediterranean shores (Lebanon, Egypt and Cyprus). Moreover, the Project will contribute to the increased competitiveness of this sector.

The development of the maritime transport and logistics sector in the Mediterranean will make it possible to ensure more efficient, sustainable and profitable trade relations between the north-western and south-eastern shores of the Mediterranean basin. Motorways of the Sea act as a catalyst for the economic and social development of the region as a whole, as well as for regional integration.

The Project at hand aims to transform the logistics of distributing goods by sea: from spot connections to an innovative integrated hub-based network characterised by scheduled, regular and reliable route frequencies and more competitive delivery times. It will propose a new equipment structure and a reorganisation of the two hub-port areas (Porto Torres and Beirut). It will also propose and implement a new optimised Ro-Ro hub-based network in the Mediterranean area by means of a new web-based logistics platform to enable users to plan shipping.

The Project, whose design was based on feasibility studies financed (1.8M€) by the EU ENPI Cross Border Cooperation Programme, offers numerous advantages for public institutions in the field of Mediterranean maritime transport as well as for shipping companies, business operators and shipbrokers. The results of the Project and their capitalisation will give operators the opportunity to benefit from intermodal transport through the promotion of a Ro-Ro hub-based network, Short Sea Shipping and Motorways of the Sea as the basis for the development of sustainable logistics within the Mediterranean area.

With a duration of three years and a total cost of €37,350,000, the positive results expected from the Project are numerous. New opportunities for economic operators and institutions will be derived from the optimisation of the maritime trade network between the north-western and the south-eastern shores of the Mediterranean basin. Executive design of the port infrastructures of Porto Torres and Beirut is planned in order to improve their performance as Ro-Ro hubs in the framework of the freight shipping network and they will facilitate an eventual future funding request for the implementation of planned interventions. It will promote a shift in freight from current modes of transportation to more efficient ones though the implementation of the web-based logistics platform supporting the new optimised maritime trade network. It will stimulate target groups and stakeholders into developing new business relationships based on the opportunities of the new, optimised maritime trade network.

About the promoter and partner institutions

The Autonomous Region of Sardinia (Italy) fosters the economic growth and sustainable development of the area, including the planning and financial management of the interventions aimed at developing and reclassifying an integrated transport system. The project partners include the University of Cagliari - CIREM (Italy), the North Sardinia Port Authority (Italy), the Association of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce (Spain), the European Short Sea Shipping School (Spain) and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount Lebanon (Lebanon).

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