Ferrmed held the 20th anniversary conference in Brussels

Ferrmed association has organized the conference “How to solve the stagnation in the rail freight transport share: +FIRRST is the solution” at the Residence Palace in Brussels, where the conclusions of the recently concluded Ferrmed Study have been presented: a detailed plan for the implementation in the EU of +FIRRST (Fast and Flexible Integrated Road-Rail Transport System) and the Stakeholder’s Alliance to promote a pilot test of the application of +FIRRST.

Because +FIRRST is the solution

+FIRRST is a combined transport system fully aligned with the road, as the most flexible mode, capable of meeting in real time the demand in all locations: origin/destination of the transport chain and intermediate transfers.

During the conference in which more than 100 people participated, Ferrmed president, Joan Amorós, presented the Stakeholder Alliance of stakeholders to promote the +FIRRST system with the participation of experts such as Mr. Godfried Smit, ESC secretary general, Ms. Raluca Matian, Director EU advocacy and general delegate of the permanent delegation to the European Union of the World Road Transport Organisation (IRU) and Mr. Ralf-Charley Schultze, president of the International Union for Roald-Rail Combined Transport (UIRR).

Full support of the European Commission and International transport agencies

From the point of view of intermodal terminals, Mr. Guillermo Belcastro, general director of Hutchison Port Best terminal in Barcelona (BEST), among others, gave his opinion. Likewise, of the European agencies, the opinion of Mr. Josep Doppelbauer, executive director of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA); Mr. Alberto Mazzola, executive director of the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER). From the business associations, Mr. Lluís Moreno the vice president of Foment del Treball and Miss Julie Hanson, director Europe of the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), among 29 participants.

You can find attached an explanatory video of the only comprehensive integrated freight transport system that will allow the EC objectives to be achieved.

Solutions fully aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal

Currently, railways are used practically for point-to-point transport with full trains, mainly mining and chemical products. For perishable products and those involving manufacturing processes, which require just-in-time deliveries, the road is basically used. The study has identified current and future bottlenecks, the necessary intermodal terminals, the most important logistics hubs, etc. The problems that prevent the railway from reaching the participation quota established by the EC have been clearly identified. Appropriate actions are also proposed, fully aligned with the objectives of the “Green Deal”, presenting +FIRRST as the solution.

At the end of 2023, the “FERRMED Study of Traffic and Modal Shift Optimization in the EU” was completed (45,000 hours of work and 24 experts from all over the EU). The 77,240 kms of corridors of the Extended Core Network (rail, road and waterways) have been analyzed.

Ferrmed forms solid stakeholder’s alliance to request the support of the EC

The Ferrmed promotes a solid stakeholder’s alliance involving interested parties to request the support of the EC. The Stakeholder’s Alliance will be constituted by transport and logistics associations; shippers; railway Infrastructure managers; logistics and railway operators; intermodal terminals; road transporters; main ports; European organizations; etc. During the conference Ferrmed chairman Joan Amoros was pleased to report that the ESC (European Shippers Council), IRU (International Road Union), UIRR (International Union of Combined Road-Rail Transport Companies), SEAT (Volkswagen Group), CIMALSA, BEST terminal, LFP Perthus, Synergy, Transports Calsina Carré, and others have already expressed their interest to join this alliance. 

“Furthermore, we are engaged in constructive dialogues with other key stakeholders such as the main Ports of Rotterdam, Antwerpen, Duisburg, Marseille and Barcelona, the French government, SNCF Réseau, Province Zuid-Holland among many others” informs Joan Amoros. FERRMED is a non-profit multi-sector association, founded on August 5, 2004 to improve the efficiency of rail freight transport and industrial competitiveness in Europe and neighboring countries.

More information of the +FIRRST system here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9HDhzWyYZA