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The East-West Transport Corridor and the shuttle train 'VIKING'

January 2011

Authors:

Gunnar Prause

Tallinn University of Technology/Wismar Business School

Country rail segments of the EWTC

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: Distances of Viking train

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Viking freight volumes

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European Intermodal Award

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+16

International trade volumes by commodity group in TRACECA in 2007

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Figures - uploaded by Gunnar Prause

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Content uploaded by Gunnar Prause

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Kusch, Thomas; Prause, Gunnar; Hunke, Kristina

Working Paper

The East-West Transport Corridor and the shuttle

train 'VIKING'

Wismarer Diskussionspapiere, No. 13/2011

Provided in Cooperation with:

Hochschule Wismar, Wismar Business School

Suggested Citation: Kusch, Thomas; Prause, Gunnar; Hunke, Kristina (2011) : The East-West

Transport Corridor and the shuttle train 'VIKING', Wismarer Diskussionspapiere, No. 13/2011,

ISBN 978-3-942100-76-2

This Version is available at:

http://hdl.handle.net/10419/48566

Fakultät für Wirtschaftswissenschaften

Wismar Business School

Thomas Kusch, Gunnar Prause, Kristina Hunke

The East-West Transport Corridor and the

Shuttle Train “VIKING”

Heft 13/2011

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ISSN 1612-0884

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JEL-Klassifikation F23, R12, R41, R58

Printed in Germany

Contents

Preface 4

1. The East-West Transport Corridor 5

1.1. Freight flows in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) 6

1.2. East-West Transport Corridor 8

1.2.1. Green cooperation stimulate economic growth 9

1.3. EWTC Association 9

2. Opportunities and Challenges for joint railway policy along EWTC 10

2.1. EWTC joint railway concept 11

2.2. Challenges of the EWTC Joint railway concept 12

3. Shuttle train “VIKING” 13

3.1. Best practice case container train “VIKING” 13

3.2. Viking freight volumes 15

3.3. Innovations 16

3.3.1. Border crossing procedure: 16

3.3.2. Simplification of customs procedure: 17

3.3.3. IT-Systems 19

3.3.4. Train schedule 20

3.3.5. Technical Solutions: 22

3.4. Advantages of transportation by Viking train 23

4. Extension of the Viking route 24

4.1. Extension of the Viking route 24

4.2. TRACECA - an alternative route 25

4.2.1. Trade in TRACECA 26

4.2.2. Existing problems 29

4.2.3. Important role of Ukrainian Ports for TRACECA 29

4.2.4. Viking connection to TRACECA saves time 32

5. Cargo flows between Baltic Sea and Black Sea 33

5.1. Rail freight transport of transit cargo via Baltic Ports 33

5.2. Baltic Sea Container and Ro-Ro traffic 35

5.3. Commodity structure of the Baltic Sea Region 37

5.4. Chinese cargo flows via Baltic ports 38

5.5. Trade Growth Black Sea region 40

6. Outlook/Conclusion 41

References 43

On the Authors 45

Preface

Logistics has been one of the most booming sectors in the Baltic Sea Region

(BSR) till begin of the financial crisis so effective transportation systems are

essential to Europe’s prosperity, having significant impacts on economic

growth, social development and the environment. The economies of the Baltic

Sea Region are rapidly growing and forecasts show that this trend will con-

tinue and since 2010 the figures are showing a recovering in BSR logistics by

finding back to the development started after the EU enlargement in 2004 so

that the expectations for the future are still enthusiastic. Alongside this devel-

opment, the transport volumes in an east-west axis are growing fast across the

Baltic Sea Region.

Wismar University took part in several European projects with focus on

BSR logistics. It started with the two important projects “LogOn Baltic” and

“InterBaltic” in the frame of the BSR Interreg IIIB Programme. Within the In-

terreg IV Programme the most important projects are the Southern Baltic Sea

Interreg IVA-project “Oversize Baltic”, the Interreg IVB-initiative “East West

Transport Corridor II” and the Interreg IVB project “Baltic.AirCargo.Net”.

This paper will highlight as an awarded multi-modal best practice example

the East-West Transportation Corridor “EWTC2” and its backbone, the con-

tainer shuttle train “Viking” linking the Southern Baltic Sea Region and the

Black Sea Region. The presented material is based on project and research re-

sults and the results developed in the Master’s thesis “Project EWTC II –

Cargo transport via container train “VIKING” Asia-Europe” of Thomas Kusch

which appeared in 2011.

1. The East-West Transport Corridor

Forecasts are predicting a dramatically increasing East-West (Asia-Europe)

transport flow, despite the temporary effect of the current global economic cri-

sis. Transport systems should be prepared to accommodate the growing de-

mand for transport and logistics. At the moment special focus is emerging to-

wards the development of land transportation from EU and CIS countries to

China and Asian countries. So increased transnational co-operation and co-

ordination is necessary to deal with bottlenecks in the transport infrastructure.

One example for good co-operation is the JOINT RAILWAY CONCEPT

“VIKING”, to minimize the existing bottlenecks in the transport infrastructure

between the countries in the Baltic Sea Region, Europe and Asia.

This paper will concentrate on the East-West trade in the Baltic and Black

Sea Region. The heavy and growing traffic in the East-West Transport Corri-

dor and its potential to become an important East-West trade route between

the EU, Russia and Far East requires attention. There is still a need for better

interoperability between different infrastructures, standards and systems, as

well as removal of physical and operational bottlenecks, especially on the bor-

ders. Special attention is paid to the topic rail of transport at this corridor.

The container train Viking as best practise case is one example how com-

petitive rail transport can be if most of the problems regarding interoperability

and border procedures are harmonized. The train connects the Baltic with the

Black Sea. The route of the international container train Viking which shuttles

between Klaipeda and Illichevsk via Minsk and Kiev was considered. Due to

the extension of the Viking train with the Transport Corridor Europe-

Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA) via the Black Sea by ferries new freight flows

can be attracted from Central Asia and China to Europe.

Freight flows for the rail transport are considered which show a changing

trend from bulk goods to high value cargo. This development will be sup-

ported by the shorter transport duration by rail. The transport of goods from

China to Western Europe by ship takes around 35 days and by rail only around

14 days. Because of these facts the future for rail traffic looks bright.

1.1. Freight flows in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR)

Increasing globalisation and European integration lead to new transport chal-

lenges. On-going European integration will lead to a rapid increase in the

transport of goods and people in all directions across Europe. It is estimated

that the total international trade volume in the BSR will grow by 55% between

2003 and 2020. In absolute terms, total intra-BSR trade is expected to increase

from 327 million tons to 503 million tons between 2003 and 2020, and the to-

tal extra-BSR trade from 1,133 to 1,585 million tons.

Baltic Maritime Outlook 2006, Goods flows and maritime infrastructure in the Bal-

tic Sea Region.

Figure 1: Development of trade volumes 2003 – 2020

Source: Baltic Maritime Outlook 2006.

For the future, a sustained growth of the East-West transport can be expected.

Much of this increased transport volume will be handled on the European road

network raising the question if the European road network will be able to ab-

sorb this growth in freight volume.

So the lack of capacity in many transport corridors is a threat to future

growth and to European integration. Road congestion along the major routes

in Europe indicates that many of the main transport corridors are already close

to their capacity limits. This development will lead to a growing demand for

reliable, efficient, fast and flexible door-to-door transport solutions. The grow-

ing transport flows will also bring an environmental change which becomes

increasingly difficult to bear, especially when they are based on road transport.

European Union has reacted to these logistics challenges with TEN-T, freight

transport logistics action plan and other activities expressing the need to de-

velop logistics alternatives and improvements.

EWTC I Final Report, 2007, www.ewtc2.eu; Freight Transport Logistics Action

Plan, COM(2007) 607 final, Source: European Commission, Trans-European

network: TEN-T priority axes and projects 2005, Luxembourg: Office for Official

The challenge then is to strengthen transport corridors which have the ca-

pacity to increase their services and can guarantee flexible, efficient and fast

deliveries, and which can also be expanded within the context of relatively

low environmental costs. Then it is necessary to explore the opportunities for

transport corridors that combine sea and rail transport in order to supplement

the overloaded road networks.

The East-West Transport Corridor is such a corridor, with a high potential

for further development and the ability to contribute to more efficient trade

and to transport solutions which are more environmentally friendly.

Figure 2: East West Transport Corridor

Source: Tautginas Sankauskas, Presentation: “MONGOLIAN VECTOR”, 29.06.2010.

1.2. East-West Transport Corridor

EWTC is a geographically defined infrastructure linkage and intermodal

transportation route between Asian countries (China, Kazakhstan….), Russia,

Belarus, Ukraine, countries of Black Sea Region, Southern Baltic Sea Region

countries (Lithuania, Kaliningrad district, Northern Germany, Denmark,

Southern Sweden) and the markets of Central, Western and Northern Europe.

At the same time, the EWTC project is an attempt to form the effective

transnational supply chain, providing a variety of transportation and logistics

services. To achieve the synergy effect and enjoy the benefits, cooperation be-

tween different stakeholders within the global supply chain is needed. EWTC

aimed to strengthen the transport development through infrastructure im-

provements, new solutions for business, logistics and co-operation between re-

searchers.

Publications of the European Communities, ISBN 92-894-9837-4.

About EWTC, 18/06/2010, www.ewtc2.eu.

Furthermore, EWTC is a useful tool for governments to combine the efforts

to facilitate needed improvements, for transport and logistics business to speak

with governments and cooperate for gaining competitive advantage.

1.2.1. Green cooperation stimulate economic growth

In spite of recent drop of trade volumes due to the global financial crisis, the

East-West trade in the Baltic Sea Region is expected to continue increasing.

That causes problems like congestion and environmental damage. The EWTC

II association is aware of this situation and intends to develop the hubs as

growth centres, strengthen railway concepts, improve accesses to hubs, and

increase human capabilities.

The aim is also to develop an innovative testing ground for a green corridor

concept, which could serve as a best practice case in the European perspective.

It includes deployment of advanced Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)

services as well as development and testing of an information broker system.

This in combination with business development in the transport sector will

stimulate the economic growth in the entire East West Transport Corridor.

Three main focuses:

1) To make East West TC a good example of a Green Transport Corridor in

line with EU's latest transport policies also meeting market demands for more

efficient and environmentalal friendly transports.

2) To develop an innovative pilot testing ground where modern technology

and information systems contribute to increased efficiency, traffic safety and

security as well as reduced environment impact in the corridor.

3) Supporting economic growth within the corridor, particularly in ports and

inland hubs, by stimulating new business models for e.g. railway transport.

1.3. EWTC Association

On 29

of June 2010 in a constituting meeting the East-West Transport Corri-

dor Association (EWTCA) with representatives from China, Denmark, France,

Germany, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Mongolia, Russia, Sweden, and Ukraine

took place in Vilnius. The EWTCA will be responsible for the long-term man-

agement of the East-West Transportation Corridor even for the time after the

end of the EWTC II project. The main tasks of EWTCA will be to maintain

the economic and political dialogue between the states and partners in the cor-

ridor as well as in other regions and to work as a joint voice, representing its

partners in the European Commission and international transport organiza-

tions.

EWTC I Final Report, page 15.

EWTC II General Brochure, page 4.

EWTC II General Brochure, www.ewtc2.eu, page 4.

The East-West TC's international competitiveness will be maintained and

improved through continued cooperation in the fields of transport develop-

ment and innovation, especially by the following activities:

• to strengthen the co-operation between transportation, logistics compa-

nies, intermodal terminal operators, shippers and consignees, national,

regional and domestic authorities, science and research institutions

along the EWTC;

• to develop the links and services between the EWTC and different

Europe-Asia regions;

• to initiate the simplification of procedures and documentation;

• to initiate the removal of bottlenecks in the development of

infrastructure and operations;

• to initiate and promote implementation of common Key Performance

Indicators (KPI’s) and services standards along EWTC (with focus on

green transport);

• to promote co-operation between private and public sectors;

• to disseminate best practices and modern logistics solutions;

• to support IT networks development among EWTC partners;

• to represent the associated EWTC partners in the European Commission

and international transportation organizations, as well as in national and

regional authority institutions.

2. Opportunities and Challenges for joint railway policy along EWTC

Dr. Algirdas Šakalys, EWTC Association - an effective instrument for EWTC col-

laboration and development, Presentation EWTC II Conference Vilnius 29/06/2010.

2.1. EWTC joint railway concept

Nowadays, the biggest cargo flows are transported by sea. Despite all benefits

of such a transport mode, land transportation is almost 3 times faster. Al-

though land transport corridor exists, only 5% of cargo flows are transported

by rail or trucks. The reason for that development is that land corridors have

not been fully exploited because of lack of common tariff policy, the absence

of harmonized border control procedures, bureaucratic barriers, and the lack of

infrastructure.

Figure 3: Land transportation almost 3 times faster

Source: Dr. Algirdas Šakalys, Presentation: Development of the East-West Transport Cor-

ridor in European and global context.

From China to Western Europe:

1. By Sea via Suez (35 days) and around Africa (60 days, 24 000 km).

2. By Continental routes (11000 km, 14 days).

By implementing „East-West Transport Corridor II“ project it is planned to

increase freight flows among Southern Baltic states through Lithuania, Bela-

rus, Russia, Ukraine, Kuakas, Central Asia, China, and countries of Far East

by using the advantages of intermodal transport. The project will be imple-

mented within EU transport policy stressing importance of formatting “Green

transport corridors” conception which is giving priority to railway transport as

one of most ecological and economical transport means and to sustainable in-

tegration of all transport modes.

Due to high importance of railway transport a separate set of tasks has been

created which is called “Development of railway transport business opportuni-

Magazine EWTC Transporter ISSN 2029-4204, 06/2010 Edition No. 9, page 4.

ties”.

2.2. Challenges of the EWTC Joint railway concept

The development of the railway network in the East West transport corridor

was country oriented. There are different standards, different services are be-

ing offered in regard to legal base of different countries and different IT sys-

tems are being installed on railway sector in each country. Consequently, there

are different railway models in every country of East-West transport corri-

dor.

Figure 4: Country rail segments of the EWTC

Source: Stasys Dailydka, Opportunities and Challenges for joint railway policy along

EWTC, Presentation EWTC II Conference Vilnius 29/06/2010.

To reach the goal to create a joint railway network it is important to identify

the “bottlenecks” on the East-West Transport Corridor and to make an action

plan to eliminate them.

Bottlenecks for the joint railway concept:

Bottlenecks concerned with differences in:

• Track infrastructure,

• Rolling stocks,

• Electric systems,

• Signal and security systems,

• IT systems.

Operational bottlenecks:

• Border crossing and customs procedures,

• Information exchange difficulties,

• Various operational instructions.

Railway business environment bottlenecks:

Stasys Dailydka, Opportunities and Challenges for joint railway policy along

EWTC, Presentation EWTC II Conference Vilnius 29/06/2010.

Stasys Dailydka, Opportunities and Challenges for joint railway policy along

EWTC, Presentation EWTC II Conference Vilnius 29/06/2010.

• Differences on railways business regulation legislation,

• Differences on tariffs policy,

• Different economic and political interests of the corridor countries.

For the future development of the EWTC joint railway concept it is necessary

to use a geo-economic approach. That means the EWTC association has to

• strengthen the cooperation of all stakeholders,

• assess new ideas,

• use collected experience of cooperation and interoperability on 1520

mm gauge railway network (e.g. Russia, Lithuania),

• use achievements of best practice cases (for example, shuttle train “VI-

KING”).

3. Shuttle train “VIKING”

3.1. Best practice case container train “VIKING”

One of the current tendencies in case of railway container transport between

Europe and Asia is the powerful comeback of short and medium-distance

transport. We find this traffic between neighboring countries, which usually

have a long standing tradition in cross-border exchanges and that prefer to de-

velop their local networks to investing in the construction of multi-national

corridors.

Such an example is the joint railway project “VIKING”, which was initiated

Stasys Dailydka, Opportunities and Challenges for joint railway policy along

EWTC, Presentation EWTC II Conference Vilnius 29/06/2010.

Ibidem.

by Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine, port companies, Klaipeda, Odessa and Il-

lichevsk port. According to intergovernmental agreement between Lithuania,

Belarus and Ukraine, since 6

of February, 2003 regular operation of com-

bined transport train Viking has started.

The train connects port Klaipeda on the Baltic Sea with port Illichevsk on

the Black Sea as well as three capitals – Vilnius, Minsk and Kiev.

The Viking train as a sea-rail-(road)-sea intermodal connection was de-

signed as a Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) and a Lo-Lo (Lift-on/Lift-off) transport

solution. The train carries 20, 40 and 45-feet universal and special containers,

trailers, trucks and semi trailers. On the Baltic Sea they are sent to Klaipeda

port by sea transport from Scandinavia and Western Europe as well as via

Mukran–Klaipeda ferry-line, and then carry on by Viking train to Belarus,

Ukraine, the Near East, and Caucasus via Illichevsk and Odessa sea ports. The

railcars with containers bound for Georgia and Armenia can travel via two dif-

ferent ferry lines: Illichevsk (Ukraine) – Poti or Batumi (Georgia). The ones

going to Turkey can be transported via the Illichevsk (Ukraine) – Derince

(Turkey) ferry line.

The Viking trains will be operated by three companies.

• In Lithuania – "LG Ekspedicija";

• In Belarus – Nation-wide transport expedition enterprise "Belinter-

trans";

•

In the Ukraine – Ukrainian State Transport Service Centre “Liski“.

The price for transportation is one of the biggest advantages of the train.

The tariffs for containers and trailer-trains are lower than those of truck com-

panies.

The prices in the following table include the execution of carrying docu-

ments, transportation of one vehicle on a specialized railway platform, travel

of the driver in the carriage, customs clearance in Ukraine, Byelorussia,

Lithuania, guarding of vehicles during the whole route.

Regular piggyback train "Viking",

http://www.liski.com.ua/eng/index.php?thisPage=intmod_viking.

Antanas Zenonas Kaminskas, Presentation: Shuttle train VIKING - Success story of

intermodality.

Regular piggyback train "Viking",

http://www.liski.com.ua/eng/index.php?thisPage=intmod_viking.

Table 1: Prices for vehicles on Viking train

From To Price

Illichevsk Klaipeda 420$

Kiev Klaipeda 360$

Klaipeda Illichevsk 420$

Klaipeda Kiev 360$

The rates in the following table are valid for cargo transportation in universal

containers loaded up to their load-carrying capacity stipulated by the con-

tainer’s technical characteristics.

Table 2: Prices for container on Viking train

20’ 40’

From To Loaded Empty Loaded Empty

Odessa Draugiste 453$ 202$ 710$ 326$

Odessa Kolyadichi 310$ 160$ 510$ 240$

Kiev Draugiste 353$ 166$ 539$ 253$

Kiev Kolyadichi 205$ 97$ 305$ 142$

Source: Ukrainian State Center of Transport Service,

http://www.liski.com.ua/eng/index.php?thisPage=intmod_viking, 12.05.2011.

3.2. Viking freight volumes

From the beginning of the operation of the Viking train on 6

of February

2003 up to 2007 the freight volume was rising sharply each year. In 2007 the

train transported 40,066 TEU which is about 70% more than in 2006. In 2008

the trade was affected by the world crisis and the transportation rates reduced

by 17%. In 2009 the railway administrations of Lithuania, Belarus and

Ukraine decided to cut the Viking tariffs by 15% and bringing them down to

last year’s level. This has enabled the Viking project to retain its competitive-

ness in the period of crisis.

The result of this decision was a rising freight

volume nearly to the level of 2007. The year 2010 confirmed the positive

trend.

Ukrainian State Center of Transport Service,

http://www.liski.com.ua/eng/index.php?thisPage=intmod_viking, 12.05.2011.

Priorities of Belintertrans, http://www.deliverjournal.com/en/journal/archive/sec

tion.php?ELEMENT_ID=2085.

Figure 5: Viking freight volumes

Source: Port of Klaipeda,

http://www.portofklaipeda.lt/en.php/port_of_klaipeda/transportation_of_cargo/stat

istics/10771, 12.05.2011.

3.3. Innovations

During the development of the Viking project some obstacles had to be re-

moved. Problems arose from:

• Technology (lack of platform for loading/unloading cars and trucks),

• Information (variety of standards of Integrated Transaction Control Sys-

tems (ITC) and documentation),

• Organization (variety of interests and action instructions),

• Law (different legislation in separate countries, link between EU/CIS

(Commonwealth of Independent States)),

• Economy (different economic and transport policy in separate coun-

tries),

• Policy (lack of international agreements).

By implementing the project, the following solutions have been implemented

to solve the problems.

3.3.1. Border crossing procedure:

Kena border station is the link between the EU (Lithuania) and CIS (Belarus)

countries, because of successful cooperation with customs and frontier au-

thorities, and implementation of information systems the border crossing pro-

Antanas Zenonas Kaminskas, Presentation: Shuttle train VIKING - Success story of

intermodality.

cedure could be improved. Now, the Viking train needs 30 min for the cross-

ing procedure in Kena border station. But not only the communication be-

tween the various parties has been improved in order to obtain this result. The

modernisation of Kena border station has also contributed to it.

Kena border station was modernised in three stages. The first one was com-

pleted in 2004 (value of the investment 17 million Euro) and the second stage

was completed in 2005 (value 20 million Euro). At the end of 2008 the third

stage of reconstruction was completed as well. Also in the third stage 20 mil-

lion Euro have been invested.

During the day 68 trains pass Kena. Up to 2020 the number will increase to

76 trains per day and up to 2030 approximately 80 trains pass the border sta-

tion. Because of the modernization Kena is well prepared for the increasing

train traffic. To accelerate the customs clearance of trains a wide railway net-

work and special measuring techniques have been installed. Besides two main

railroads, eleven railroads are constructed for entering and exiting the border

station. A dynamic scale is installed, which measures the weight of cargo

without stopping the train. On both sides of the railway line new X-ray gates

are installed. Here the cargo is screened in order to be sure that the content

corresponds to the declarations. Due to special sensing elements fixed on the

train even the speed of the train is measured and is observed in Kena.

For more safety and faster trade JSC Lithuanian railways participated in the

pilot project of EU for assignment of the Authorised Economic Operator

(AEO) status. Authorized Economic Operator is an internationally recognized

certification that an EU trader's role in the international supply chain is secure

and customs controls and procedures are compliant. Authorized Economic

Operators include manufacturers, importers, exporters, brokers, carriers,

consolidators, intermediaries, ports, airports, terminal operators, integrated

operators, warehouses, and distributors.

3.3.2. Simplification of customs procedure:

In Asia and Europe we find two different regimes for carriage by rail.

• Two organisational structures: OTIF(EU) – OSJD(Russia, Asia),

• CIV & SMPS for passenger traffic,

• CIM & SMGS for freight traffic.

Algis Palionis, Kena - gates to the East and West, issue 04/2008,

http://www.jura.lt/contents/article_eng.php?id_year_issue=200804&id_num=12_0.

Algis Palionis, Kena - gates to the East and West, issue 04/2008,

http://www.jura.lt/contents/article_eng.php?id_year_issue=200804&id_num=12_0.

AEO definition Wikipedia

Table 3: Differences in law

CIM (Uniform Rules concerning the Con-

tract of International Carriage of Goods by

Rail - Appendix B to COTIF)

SMGS (Agreement on International Goods

Transport by Rail)

• Consensual contract

• Contractual freedom

• Consignment note design within

the competence of Railway Under-

takings

• Joint and several liability

• Formal contract

• Obligation to set and publish tariffs

and to carry

• Consignment note defined in

SMGS itself

• Individual liability

Source: 25 Dr. Th. Leimgruber, Presentation: Common CIM-SMGS consignment note for

international rail transport, 27-29 April 2009.

OTIF - (Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail),

OSJD - (Organisation for Cooperation between Railways).

Figure 6: Scope of CIM und SMGS

Source: Dr. Th. Leimgruber, Presentation: Common CIM-SMGS consignment note for in-

ternational rail transport, 27-29 April 2009.

Before simplification of customs procedure, the consignment note at border

crossings between the two jurisdictions had to be rewritten from one format to

the other.

For easier trade and quicker customs transit procedure the Viking project

uses the new CIM/SMGS consignment note. With the application of the new

consignment note the rewrite of documents is not required and only one con-

signment note will be used for the whole transport. That leads to the result that

the border crossing time will be significantly reduced.

Here are some more advantages of the CIM/SMGS consignment note:

• Both contracts of carriage can be shown on a single A4 sheet of paper,

• Elimination of extra costs for activities that provide no extra value,

• Elimination of a source of errors by eliminating the transcription of con-

signment notes when traffic is reconsigned,

• Higher levels of legal certainty for all participants,

• Consignment note can be issued electronically,

• EU export formalities for CIM -> SMGS traffic may be completed at the

time the traffic is consigned,

• The CIM/SMGS consignment note is recognised as a banking document if

a letter of credit is used,

• The use of the new consignment note is voluntary; the classic system of re-

consignment at the interface can still be used.

At the beginning of 2010 the pilot project EAIS (Single Automated Informa-

tional System) was started. Ukrainian, Belarusian and Lithuanian customs of-

fices and transport companies use a New Computerised Transit System - rail

declaration (NCTS) for the transportation of goods among these countries,

what again facilitates the execution of customs procedure for the cargo trans-

ported by Viking train.

3.3.3. IT-Systems

Two innovative IT-systems were created to provide high quality service along

the entire Viking route. Here we find the KIPIS-system in Klaipeda seaport

and the IT-system KROVINYS developed by Lithuanian Railways.

KROVINYS:

JSC Lithuanian Railways has created the new IT system KROVINYS to en-

sure an easy freight transportation process. For the time of freight transporta-

tion the system is capable to execute and to record all necessary documents.

The system KROVINYS has also data exchange interfaces with the existing

system OPKIS (Operative Computerised Information System for Haulage) and

the new KIPIS-System.

KIPIS – Freight and Goods Information System:

The KIPIS-System has been elaborated and installed in Klaipeda seaport. It

was developed in close cooperation with the companies and associations oper-

CIM/SGMS Common Consignment Note,

http://www.interrail.ag/front_content.php?&idcat=79&changelang=3&idart=330.

Presentation: Plaske JCS, Pilot Project «Interaction of EAIS (Single Automated In-

formational System) and NCTS in Ukraine».

Freight Transportation, www.litrail.lt.

ating in the port and the state authorities responsible for inspecting freight and

ships. The system is available for a wide range of users, e.g. freight forward-

ing and shipping companies, stevedoring companies, JSC Lithuanian Rail-

ways, Customs Department, Klaipeda Public Health Centre etc.

Main functions of KIPIS:

1. Provision of information required by customs and other state authorities

via internet connection;

2. Data exchange amongst the system users to conduct procedures such as

temporary storage of goods, import, export and transit, or any other cus-

toms formalities;

3. Electronic data exchange with the stevedoring companies for the pur-

pose of placing and executing orders for handling operations.

From Klaipeda seaport 80% of the total cargo volume is brought and carried

away by railway transport. This assumes a good communication and data ex-

change between the railway company (Lithuanian Railways) and the compa-

nies operating in the seaport. Therefore an automatic data exchange interface

was developed between the systems KROVINYS and KIPIS.

The system benefits all participants of the logistic chain by facilitation and

acceleration of cargo movement through the port by way of exchanging elec-

tronic data. KIPIS allows the inspection authorities to receive preliminary in-

formation and documents for risk assessment and operative, real time and sta-

tistical information of the cargo at the port. This helps to control the port op-

erations in a simpler and easier way and leads to better public services. The

system reduces the administrative burden and eliminates about 30 various pa-

per documents going between the ship agency, forwarding, stevedoring com-

panies and state authorities controlling freight and goods traffic. This paper-

work includes a variety of permits to import, export, handle and reload goods,

handling operations reports, quality certificates etc. The result of the elimina-

tion of the paperwork is that users of the system are able to share information

without wasting time as they did with the old method. Furthermore costs and

human/technical resources were saved.

3.3.4. Train schedule

The project participants of the Viking project created train traffic schedule ac-

cording to which the carriage time from Klaipeda to Illichevsk (distance

1734km) takes 56.5 hours. For example, the train covers the territory of

Lithuania (distance 434 km) in 13.75 hours. The fixed train schedule enables

KIPIS – Freight and Goods Information System,

www.portofklaipeda.lt/en.php/urgencies/4875?mark=KIPIS.

30 KIPIS – Freight and Goods Information System,

www.portofklaipeda.lt/en.php/urgencies/4875?mark=KIPIS.

to ensure the delivery of goods to clients on time.

Table 4: Distances of Viking train

Distances [km] [h:m]

Lithuania 434 13:45

Belarus 544 22:41

Ukraine 756 19:01

Total 1734 56:27

Source: Train schedule Belintertrans, http://en.belint.by/viking, 12.05.2011.

Loading of vehicles on railway platforms, preparation and customs processing

of shipping documents for Train 1161 are carried out every Friday from 09:00

am till 05:00 pm on terminal in Illichevsk: Sea port – ferry and in Kiev: – in

the territory of Ukrainian State Center of Transport Service “Liski”.

Forming of train, customs clearance and border control are carried out at

station Korosten, Zhitomir region – in the area of operations of Zhitomir cus-

toms. Train departs every Saturday.

Loading of Train 1162 in direction Klaipeda – Kiev – Illichevsk is carried

out at Draugiste Station in Klaipeda or directly in Port of Klaipeda. The com-

pany “BLC CLASCO” on behalf of “Lithuania Railways” – LG expedition is

engaged in execution of railway documents. Train departs every Tuesday.

Figure 7: Viking route

Source: Litrail Antanas Zenonas Kaminskas, Algirdas Šakalys: Presentation: Pilot inter-

modal project – shuttle train “Viking” increases vitality.

Ukrainian State Center of Transport Services,

http://www.liski.com.ua/eng/index.php?thisPage=intmod_viking, 12.05.2011

3.3.5. Technical Solutions:

For the efficient service of the train to carry trailer and semi-trailer, the ports

Klaipeda and Illichevsk created a special technology for loading. A metal pre-

fabricated rear ramp was built for the loading and unloading of the trailer. In

Paneriai Station (Vilnius) the same technology is used. To guarantee a quick

container handling in the port, new technologies were developed. In the multi

modal terminals of the ports new railway platforms are operated with pneumo-

wheeled auto cranes with the ability to lift 50 tons or container auto loaders

like reach stacker which can lift up to 37 tons

Figure 8: Phneumo-wheeled auto crane

Source: www.pezzaioli.it/de/images/hupac3.jpg.

Figure 9: Reach stacker

Quelle: www.chinaforklift.com/news-icture/mijack2-5.jpg.

The Viking invasion, issue 06/2009, http://image.ua/img/157/viking.pdf

3.4. Advantages of transportation by Viking train

The Viking train is an international intermodal freight logistics project cover-

ing the railway, sea and motor transport. The main success elements of the Vi-

king project are safety, environmental friendliness, fast delivery of cargo from

departure station to the destination station, easy crossing of state borders and

execution of customs formalities and an attractive tariff.

Furthermore, it is to

point out the successful cooperation between railway companies, ports, cargo

companies and freight forwarder which enabled the realisation of the project.

Until now the Viking train route covers the territories of three states in EU and

CIS countries and serves clients in the north part of the EU and Black Sea re-

gion.

The border crossing time was reduced by successful cooperation with cus-

toms and border authorities and development of progressive IT-Systems. The

Freight carriage management system KROVINYS is helpful which allows to

perform custom and border crossing procedures easily and quickly due to pre-

loaded electronic invoice. The checking of the whole train at the EU and CIS

border now takes only 30 minutes.

Final stations of the route are the seaports Klaipeda and Illichevsk which

are connecting the Baltic Sea region with the Black Sea region. That provides

additional possibilities to cover freight flows from the Far East (China, Ka-

zakhstan).

The Viking project is one of the most successful projects on freight carriage

among the EU and CIS countries. Due to the importance of the project for the

EU intermodal transport system and the reached improvements for 7 years, the

project has been included into “Best practice handbook” of European innova-

tive intermodal freight transport.

All these facts in 2009 led to the result that the Viking project was

announced by the European Intermodal Association as the winner of the 9th

annual European Intermodal Award for best practices competition.

Figure 10: European Intermodal Award

Stasys Dailydka, Opportunities and Challenges for joint railway policy along

EWTC, Presentation EWTC II Conference Vilnius 29/06/2010.

Stasys Dailydka, Opportunities and Challenges for joint railway policy along

EWTC, Presentation EWTC II Conference Vilnius 29/06/2010.

4. Extension of the Viking route

4.1. Extension of the Viking route

Figure 11: International transport corridors, highways and railway routes

The Container train Viking was opened in 2003 to ensure container cargo flow

from Baltic Sea to Black Sea and vice versa. Container transport by Viking

train becomes increasingly popular. In 2010 this train carried 41,804 TEU. By

container- and Ro-Ro lines the Viking train reaches with the ports Klaipeda

and Odessa the ports Immingham, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Bremer-

haven, Kiel, Mukran, Aabenraa, Aarhus, Karlshamn, Gdynia, Kaliningrad,

Riga, Poti, Istanbul, Pireas, Varna, Constanta etc. .

To strengthen the position of the Viking train in container transport, studies

were carried out to extend the train to Central Asia (through Caucasus). Two

variants of routes in the East-West transport corridor are proposed:

1. South Baltic Sea Region ─ Lithuania ─ Belarus ─ Russia ─ Kazakhstan

─ China;

2. South Baltic Sea Region ─ Lithuania ─ Belarus ─ Ukraine ─ Georgia ─

Azerbaijan ─ Kazakhstan ─ China.

1) The first variant to extend the Viking route is to use the Eurasian railway

mainline. The so called Euro-Asian Continental Bridge or New Silk

Road crosses the Viking route in Minsk and Kiev. At these stations it is

possible to shift the container to another train. Most containers will be

loaded onto trains of Russian Railways. The eastern station of the Eura-

sian railway network is Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province (China).

Lianyungang port which is part of the worldwide network of sea

transport linking eastern sea routes e.g. from Japan and South Korea,

with western land routes. The Euro-Asia Continental Bridge connects

over 40 countries and regions in Europe, South Asia and the Middle

East.

2) The second variant to extend the Viking route is to cross the Black Sea

by ferry and to use the European – Caucasian – Asian railway route

(TRACECA).

4.2. TRACECA - an alternative route

The TRACECA programme initiated at the Conference in Brussels in May

1993 is an EU-funded programme to assist the implementation of an alterna-

tive transport corridor from Europe to Central Asia, from the Black Sea via

Caucasus and the Caspian Sea through Mongolia and China. The idea is to

have lower transport costs for this long-distance transport by shortening the

travel distance by a more direct connection to the Trans European Network

and the European Transport Corridors.

The corridor starts in the Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine) and

also crosses Turkey. The route is passing the Black Sea to the ports of Poti and

Batumi in Georgia. For further transport the transport network of the Southern

Caucasus is used. A land connection towards this region also exists from

Turkey. From Azerbaijan by means of the Caspian ferries (Baku –

Algirdas Šakalys, Antanas Zenonas Kaminskas, Presentation: Pilot intermodal pro-

ject – shuttle train “Viking” increases vitality.

Lianyungang, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lianyungang.

Turkmenbashi, Baku – Aktau) TRACECA route reaches the railway networks

of Central Asian states of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. The transport

networks of these states are connected to destinations in Uzbekistan,

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and reach the borders of China and Afghanistan

Via the Black Sea region the Europe – Caucasus – Asia corridor is linked

by shipping lines with the most important European transport corridors:

• IX – from the north to Odessa and Illichevsk (Ukraine),

• VII – through the Danube with the exit to Constanta (Romania) and

Ukrainian mouth ports,

• VIII – through the Balkan Peninsula to Bourgas and Varna (Bulgaria),

• IV – through the Balkan Peninsula to Constanta and to the south of Is-

tanbul (Turkey).

By these connections this route could be extended from the north of Europe to

the south of China and could become the most important bridge between the

West and the East. Over the last 17 years more than 70 projects have been

implemented to achieve this goal. New transport infrastructure (roads,

railways, ports, etc.) are being built along the whole length of the TRACECA

corridor, with simultaneous renovation of the existing infrastructures. Up till

now all investments by international financial institutions in the development

of the transport infrastructure in TRACECA countries have exceeded one

billion Euro. From 2009 to 2015, further 470 million Euro will be spent on the

development of the transport corridor to achieve the desired objective of

delivering a sustainable, efficient and integrated multimodal transport system

between the EU and TRACECA countries by 2015.

4.2.1. Trade in TRACECA

The international transport corridor TRACECA is a multimodal system of land

and sea routes permitting international transport between Europe and Asia

across the Black Sea. 13 member countries represent the TRACECA corridor

and signed the Basic Multilateral Agreement on International Transport for

Development of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia Corridor (MLA). These are Arme-

nia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Roma-

nia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Turkmenistan also belongs to the corridor but is only a participating country in

the TRACECA programme and is not a member of the MLA.

The Silk Road of the 21st century, http://www.traceca-programme.eu/en/home/the-

silk-road-of-the-21st-century/.

Alena Moroz, The TRACECA train is still here: boarding continues,

http://regionplus.az/en/articles/view/39.

Transport dialogue and interoperability between the EU and its neighbouring coun-

tries and Central Asian countries Inception Report, September 2009.

The growth of world trade has directly influenced the growth of trade in the

TRACECA countries. Over the last 10 years the volume of cargo transporta-

tion through TRACECA has increased more than six-fold and in some areas

by ten times. The main cargo carried along the corridor is oil and oil products

as well as ore, metals, building materials and chemical products.

Figure 12: International trade volumes by commodity group in TRACECA

in 2007

TRACECA Transport and Trade Atlas, November 2009.

In 2007 Extra-TRACECA trade in crude oil reached a volume of 113 million

tonnes. But for 2030 it is forecasted that the highest growth will be repre-

sented in the Extra-TRACECA trade by Ores and metal waste, metal products,

crude and manufactured minerals, and building materials. A growth of more

than 210% is expected. In the Intra-TRACECA trade the highest volume in

2007 is represented by petroleum products. It is expected to reach a volume of

270 million tonnes in 2030. The highest growth will be presented by machin-

ery, transport equipment, and manufactured articles with a growth of more

than 490%.

In general it could be said that the volume of cargo transported by the

TRACECA corridor will continue to grow. It is expected that the annual

growth in trade turnover between member states of TRACECA exceeds 20%

and between TRACECA countries and the EU more than 15%.

International trade volumes by commodity group in TRACECA in 2007,

TRACECA Transport and Trade Atlas, November 2009, page: 33.

4.2.2. Existing problems

Despite these good prospects there are still existing problems which constrain

the trade. Container traffic through TRACECA comprises only 10%, whereas

container traffic in EU countries comprises 50-60% of overall cargo turnover.

At the same time container traffic is not sufficiently balanced. Containers

mainly carry imported cargo and are mostly empty when they return. There-

fore it is quite important to ensure that containers are full both ways. Another

important aspect in the development of the corridor is the use of single tariffs

for international cargo transportation. Although single tariffs are the best way

of increasing cargo traffic the member countries can not find a common

agreement on this issue. There are also some deficits in the area of customs

and freight procedures which are not harmonised between the TRACECA

countries.

All these problems should be solved in a way that ensures competitiveness

and make the corridor more attractive to potential users.

4.2.3. Important role of Ukrainian Ports for TRACECA

Constanta Port (Romania) is the front runner of Black Sea container business.

Over the last years, Constanta and Istanbul were the only ports along the

Black Sea coast capable of accepting large container ships. From these ports

containers were transhipped to ports of other Black Sea countries on small

feeder ships. Up to 70-80% of the handled containers in the port of Constanta

were transhipped to other Black Sea ports, especially in the Ukraine.

The Ukraine is already in progress to develop its own international con-

tainer hub ports. There are some advantages for a country to have international

container hub ports.

1. Hub ports gain money by transhipping containers.

2. The country can shorten lead time of transportation, which means

higher competitiveness of national economy.

3. The country enjoys lower import prices because the port can handle

large container vessels directly

4. Avoiding additional cost of feeder ship transportation

Intermodal Transport & Logistics. Development of combined transport train “VI-

KING”, http://www.unece.org/trans/wp24/wp24-presentations/documents/pres07-

03.pdf.

75 Skvortsov Gennadiy Pavlovich, The role of the Illichevsk Seaport in the Black

Sea region, 17/18 September 2008 – Piraeus,

http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp5/GE1_Piraeus_Item3_Skvortsov_e.pdf.

Figure 13: Container Handling at Major Black Sea Ports (1,000TEU)

Source: HATTORI Michitaka, International Political Economy of Black Sea Port Sector:

Rivalry between Russia and Ukraine, 4

March 2010, Seoul.

For the last years Ukraine improved its port conditions to catch up the cargo

capacities of the port of Constanta. The ports of Illichevsk and Odessa

together handled 1,242,700 TEU and nearly reached the container turnover of

the port of Constanta with 1,380,900 TEU in 2008. The world economic crisis

also decreased the container turnover in the Black Sea region. Figure 13 shows

how severely container handling at Black Sea ports was hit by recent eco-

nomic crisis. Ukrainian ports suffered most of all. Because of the strong de-

pendence on Ukrainian cargo the port of Constanta suffered almost as much as

Ukrainian ports. Forecasts predict that Ukraine will regain its peak level of

container handling of 1,242,700 TEU only in 2015.

The trend shows that the port of Constanta will soon be replaced as tran-

shipment center. In the last years the capacities of the container terminals in

the Ukraine have been increased from 500,000 TEU in 2005 to more than

2,000,000 TEU in 2010. It is expected that the ports of Illichevsk and Odessa

will become the transhipment centre instead of Constanta after the crisis has

been overcome. Major factors are:

• its key positions at the cross-roads of main transport routes between

Europe, Asian and the TRACECA corridor,

• well developed intermodal transportation communications,

• uniting network of international transport routes in the single transport

systems(rail, road, sea),

Container Handling at Major Black Sea Ports, HATTORI Michitaka, International

Political Economy of Black Sea Port Sector: Rivalry between Russia and Ukraine,

March 2010, Seoul.

• well developed port infrastructure to handle large container vessels,

• connecting the ocean container lines with regional trans-black sea

feeder lines to the ports of Russia, Georgia, Bulgaria and others,

• further development stages are planned in order to maintain the com-

petiveness among the other Black Sea ports.

Figure 14: Ukraine Container Terminals: Planned Capacity Expectation

and Forecast of Demand

Source: HATTORI Michitaka, International Political Economy of Black Sea Port Sector:

Rivalry between Russia and Ukraine, 4th March 2010, Seoul.

Up to 2015 the Ukrainian container capacity is planned to increase over 5.0

million TEU. With this amount the country could reach the leading position

among the Black Sea countries. Unfortunately, due to these plans the negative

gap between supply and demand of container handling capacities at Ukrainian

ports will widen further, because it will take a long time for the demand to re-

cover. Therefore Ukraine has to continue the development of the intermodal

infrastructure and has to expand the service in the area of transit operation of

container in the ports to reduce the gap between supply and demand.

One example of the well developed intermodal transportation service via

the Ukraine is the container train Viking. To support this train line and the in-

Ukraine Container Terminals: Planned Capacity Expectation and Forecast of De-

mand Source: HATTORI Michitaka, International Political Economy of Black Sea

Port Sector: Rivalry between Russia and Ukraine, 4th March 2010, Seoul.

termodal transport between Baltic Sea and Black Sea the container train

“Zubr” was launched in September 2009. In cooperation with Latvian, Belaru-

sian and Ukrainian railways, Estonian Railway has released the container train

Zubr, which connects the ports of Illichevsk/Odessa, Riga (Latvia) and Tallinn

(Estonia). On its track the train stops also in Kiev and Minsk. These two trains

contribute significantly to the growth of the ferry and Ro-Ro transport service

in the Black Sea. There is a whole network of intermodal transportation lines

in this region. But TRACECA corridor covers the main part with the rail-ferry

lines Varna – Illichevsk - Poti/Batumi and Illichevsk – Derince. Furthermore it

could be said that the container trains Viking and Zubr are a natural extension

of TRACECA route from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea.

4.2.4. Viking connection to TRACECA saves time

The connection of the TRACECA and Viking transport route will increase the

container traffic between EU and Asia. Compared to other connection to the

TRACECA corridor the Viking-ferry link over the Black Sea saves a lot of

time and therefore the train is very attractive for the customer. But the saving

of time for the customer in return increases the transport rate. Because of these

circumstances the customer has to decide how important it is, how fast the

cargo reaches the destination.

If we compare the tracks Klaipeda – Tbilisi (capital of Georgia) and

Klaipeda – Baku (Azerbaijan) on the one hand only by railway connection and

on the other hand by Viking + ferry connection, we receive the following re-

sults.

Table 5: Comparison characteristics

Mode

Route

Distance,

Transit

time, days

Price 20’

USD

Price

40’ USD

Klaipeda-

Tbilisi

4055 20 1800 3250

Railways

Klaipeda-Baku 3532 18 1330 2400

Klaipeda-

Tbilisi

3241 9 2320 4448

“VIKING"

+ ferry

Klaipeda-Baku 3792 13 2884 5445

Source: Ivan Liptuga, Presentation: VIKING – development prospects for the Black Sea

Container train ZUBR - a link between the Baltic and the Black Sea,

http://oldwww.evr.ee/files/zubr_ENG_scr.pdf.

Region.

Due to the Viking + ferry connection the duration of the cargo transport can be

reduced by 11 days on the Klaipeda-Tbilisi route compared to the ordinary rail

track. For the second route Klaipeda-Baku the duration can be reduced by 5

days. That is an impressive reduction of time and the higher costs for 40' Con-

tainer of 1198 USD against the reduced 11 days are mostly capable and worth

of considering this alternative. The higher costs of 3045 USD for 5 days on the

other route seems to be very high and the future will show if this offer is ac-

cepted by the customers.

5. Cargo flows between Baltic Sea and Black Sea

Over the last 10 years the rail transport market in the Baltic and Black Sea

region has been more and more reconstructed and barriers like border crossing

procedures have been reduced. Today the rail freight market is more advanced

than the passenger market and in Eastern Europe rail freight transport is more

important than rail passenger transport. This is especially the case in the Baltic

Rim. Most of the cargo which is shipped to the Baltic ports is transit cargo to

Russia and China.

5.1. Rail freight transport of transit cargo via Baltic Ports

Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania traditionally offer the most direct and

the shortest transit routes for trade between Russia and the EU. Future

economic growth in Russia offers the prospect of large increases in trade

between east and west. The statistics show that EU imports from Russia are

dominated by fuels and mining products with a share of around 75% over the

last years. Machinery and transport equipment with a share of over 40% take

the main part of the EU exports to Russia. Further important cargo groups are

chemicals and miscellaneous manufactured articles.

Figure 15: EU/RUS Import-Export statistic

Source: http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/html/113440.htm.

In 2006 over 80% of the trade volume to and from CIS countries consisted of

trade with Germany, Benelux countries and Scandinavian countries. Due to

the poor infrastructure and low capacity of Russia’s own ports, Baltic ports

have been used for transit operations. Railway routes which connect the ports

with the hinterland play a major role for such transit flows. In Estonia, Latvia

and Lithuania the share of transit flows transported by rail differs strongly per

country. In case of Latvia, approximately 86% of the rail transport was transit

in 2007. In Estonia the transit share was around 75%. On the Lithuanian rail

network the transit traffic share was only 33% in 2007.

Figure 16: Rail freight volumes on the rail networks of the Baltic States in

2006 and 2007 (million tonnes)

Source: Situation and Perspectives of the Rail Market, Zoetermeer, 30 March 2010, page

121.

After the EU accession of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, Russia is re-

considering its export position. Now, Russia tries actively to export via its

own ports on the Baltic Sea. For this reason Russia is investing in transport in-

frastructure and cargo handling facilities to provide the required port capacity.

To keep the position as transit countries, the Baltic States have made serious

efforts to attract transit cargoes bound for other CIS countries. For example,

Estonia and Latvia are encouraging such countries to invest in their ports.

Lithuania has developed a favourable and flexible tariff policy to attract CIS

cargo to its ports. The result of these efforts in the future will be that the Baltic

ports will further take a significant role for transit cargo to and from Russia

and the CIS countries although the Russian ports will expand and become

more efficient.

5.2. Baltic Sea Container and Ro-Ro traffic

The Container-boom in the last years has also influenced the cargo traffic in

the Baltic Sea. The container transport with container ships has a great impor-

tance for the Baltic-external traffic which mainly goes to the great North Sea

ports. Because of the short routes in the Baltic Sea the internal cargo traffic is

mainly dominated by Ro-Ro ships and ferries.

The increase of cargo volume of the major eastern Baltic Sea ports in the

area of Ro-Ro and containerised cargo stopped in 2007/2008 and turned into a

decrease in 2008/2009. It was the first drop in cargo volume, after 10 years.

The decrease in the volume of container and Ro-Ro cargo resulted from lower

consumer demand due to the global economic crisis.

Russian Rail Freight via Baltic Ports, Situation and Perspectives of the Rail Market,

Zoetermeer, 30 March 2010, page 121.

Among the Baltic ports Klaipeda port is steadily regaining its leading posi-

tion in the area of container and Ro-Ro turnover over last years. In 2009 con-

tainer turnover in the ports of the Baltic States decreased in comparison to the

year 2008 by 27.7 % up to 563,320 TEU, whereof 247,977 TEU or 44.0 % of

the total container turnover in the Baltic states were handled in Klaipeda port.

The first half of 2010 allows optimistic forecasts. The turnover of Ro-Ro and

containerized cargo was rapidly increasing in Klaipeda port. In the first six

month of 2010, the handling figures for containerized cargo increased by 32.7

% and for Ro-Ro cargo by 36.8 %. Such a growth of this type of cargo flows

indicates increasing demand for consumer goods, thus leading to the assump-

tion that global consumption is growing and the economic recovery has

started.

Figure 17: Turnover of major Baltic Ports I

Source: Statistics Klaipeda State Seaport, Statistics Port of Tallinn, Statistics Port of Riga,

Statistics Port of Ventspils.

Figure 18: Turnover of major Baltic Ports II

Source: Statistics Klaipeda State Seaport, Statistics Port of Tallinn, Statistics Port of Riga,

Statistics Port of Ventspils.

5.3. Commodity structure of the Baltic Sea Region

The main trading goods which are transported across the Baltic Sea are oil and

oil products. For 2020 it is expected that this situation will be the same. Oil

and oil products constitute about a third of the total trade in the Baltic Sea re-

gion. They belong together with building materials, manufactured goods and

chemicals to the most important categories of goods.

Above-average growth rates are expected for high-quality goods (vehicles,

machinery, electronics) and time-sensitive goods such as food. In the inter-

industry trade in the area of the metal processing industry, engineering, auto-

motive supplier, electrical and communication technology strong increments

are expected. The share of traditional raw materials (iron ore, copper, etc.) and

products from the industries such as wood processing, furniture manufactur-

ing, textile and clothing industry will remain largely unchanged or show only

small increases.

Due to the global economic crisis, the trade volume has decreased in the

Baltic Sea region. The recovery of the market in this region will take some

time so that the expected figures for 2020 will not be met. But in general can

be assumed that the commodity structure of the Baltic Sea Region will de-

velop similarly to the expected forecasts.

Figure 19: Development of the commodity groups for the years 2003, 2010

and 2020 in the Baltic Sea Region, (results for 2010 estimated,

mln. tonnes)

Source: Beate Lange, Die Entwicklung des Seetransportes im Ostseeraum, 2007, page 38.

5.4. Chinese cargo flows via Baltic ports

The transit trade sector of the Baltic countries has started to adopt a more

global perspective with the goal to guide Chinese cargo traffic to Europe

through Baltic ports. In the long-term perspective, Chinese trade with the EU

over the land route provides a high potential of growth for railway transporta-

tion and the Baltic ports.

Chinese trade offers for the rail freight sector the prospect of large flows of

manufactured goods and reducing the existing dependency on low value bulks.

When taking a closer look at the import/export-statistics of China, this theory

can be supported. In recent years it could be seen that the majority of EU im-

ports and exports with China consisted of over 60% of manufactured goods

like machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical equipment, textiles and

textile articles, vehicles, aircraft, vessels and miscellaneous manufactured arti-

cles. The increasing container handling rates (e.g., China handled 108 million

TEU in the first three quarters 2010) seems to support this outlook.

In the past, cargo from East Asia to Central Asia dominated traffic on the

New Eurasia Land Bridge route. In recent years cargo traffic to Russia and

Europe has started to grow. Container shuttle trains like the Viking train could

take advantages of this development because manufactured products contain

the higher value commodities which are most likely to be carried by container

or by road trailer.

China Container Port Industry Report 2010, www.researchinchina.com.

Figure 20: EU Imports/Exports from China

Source: China main economic indicators, trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/html/113366.htm.

5.5. Trade Growth Black Sea region

The following tables show the development of cargo traffic in the Black Sea

region between 1995 and 2005.

On the export side nearly 70% of total tonnes are bulk commodities, princi-

pally liquid bulks. However, in value terms it is reversed, food, manufactures

and other cargo take a share of nearly 70% of the value of the exports. The

share of liquid bulks by value has risen sharply from 19% in 1995 to 28% in

2005. On the other hand the value of other cargo decreased from 27% to 20%

between the years 1995 - 2005. All the sector shares by weight were relatively

constant over the last 10 years.

Exports from Black Sea Region: Annual US$ bn.

Exports from Black Sea Region: Annual million tonnes:

Imports from Black Sea Region: Annual US$ bn.

Imports from Black Sea Region: Annual million tonnes:

Source: Imports/Exports from Black Sea Region 1995 – 2005, Source: WTO Trade Statis-

tics, 2007.

On the import side, liquid bulks only contribute to 28% by weight and 8% by

value in 2005. Whereas food and manufactures contribute 71% by value and

25% by weight. In the next few years the shares of higher value cargoes are

generally rising like in the other regions which were already considered. The

turnover of dry bulks will be on the same level but liquid bulks will further

decrease.

This trade growth will again push forward the development of the ports and

the hinterland connections of the Black Sea in the sector of containerised

cargo. Container services provide vital trading connections between the Black

Sea countries and the rest of the world for the higher value product sectors.

Within the last five years the traffic growth and port development has attracted

shipping lines to bring larger container vessels into the Black Sea. The possi-

bility to handle more containers will also support the increase of manufactured

products by rail transportation in the next years.

6. Outlook/Conclusion

The international rail freight transport market is much more advanced than the

passenger transport market in terms of liberalization. Rail freight transport is,

by nature, more oriented towards cross-border traffic. This led to the emer-

gence of new undertakings, lower prices and traffic volume increase. The best

practice case container train VIKING is one example of this liberalization

process. From the beginning of operation of the train the freight volumes

steadily increased until the economic recession. The advantages which led to

this success are a fixed time schedule, improved border crossing procedures

and low tariffs. Due to the crisis the freight volume decreased in 2008. How-

ever, it can be expected that once the economic crisis is over, the volumes will

recover towards previous levels. The figures of 2010 show an optimistic trend

that the recovery of the global economic has started.

The current rail transport volume with China is modest, but cargo transpor-

tation to Russia and Europe has now started to grow. Notably the economy of

Improvements of Maritime Links between TRACECA and TEN’s Corridors, Final

Report May 2009.

China has been less hard hit by the crisis and provides good prospects for the

rail traffic to Europe. But the development of rail traffic between China and

Western Europe suffers due to the quality of infrastructure, delays at borders

and lack of interoperability (gauge differences between China (1,435mm

gauge), Kazakhstan/Russia/Baltic Rim/Finland (1,520mm gauge) and Western

Europe (1,435mm gauge)). To reduce the interoperability problems and to ac-

celerate the transport of goods between Asia and Europe the Viking train ex-

tends its track by ferry from the port of Illichevsk to the port of Poti and Ba-

tumi and joints the TRACECA sector consequently. This connection links the

Caucasus area and Central Asia via the Black sea by the Viking train with the

Baltic Sea. The ports of Georgia, Poti and Batumi, became the main gates for

the TRACECA route to Europe. The container traffic grows rapidly through

these ports. For the development of the TRACECA sector for rail traffic into

Europe, a better tariff structure needs to be developed. Furthermore, bilateral

and multilateral agreements, and eventually a corridor approach, need to be

developed to reduce the barriers to efficient operation. Borders where a gauge

change is necessary should be developed as the natural exchange points where

locomotives, rolling stock and personnel changes and all procedures and

checks are carried out simultaneously.

The future of the railway freight transport is the long-distance transport of

high-quality goods. The trend shows a decrease from bulk cargo which domi-

nates the rail freight sector to smaller freight, lots with higher value and co-

modal transport growth. One reason for this development is that the transport

by rail is now 3 times faster than the sea transport from Asia to Europe. If we

look at the transport statistics of the Viking train the trend can be seen. In

2009 the main content of the container were mainly organic chemistry

products (34%), textile (13%), transport facilities and spare parts (12%) and

ferrous metals (9%).

In general we can say that for the Viking train an in-

crease can be expected in transportation of machinery, vehicles, manufactured

products like electronics, textile, chemicals, and miscellaneous article.

Saint Petersburg has shown the largest absolute container turnover over the

last years. Freight flows from China via Kazakhstan to Russia will grow so

that the port of Saint Petersburg cannot handle this traffic on its own. It is ex-

pected in the future that all ports in the eastern Baltic Sea will continue to

handle trade flows to/from Russia and China. The strategy plan of the port of

Saint Petersburg will probably specialise more in containerised high value

goods rather than bulks. One important reason of this plan is the relative ab-

sence of interoperability problems between Kazakhstan and Russia. Beside the

port of Saint Petersburg we find Klaipeda port with the highest turnover rates

in Ro-Ro and containerised cargo among the other major ports in the eastern

"International Freight Forwarder's Day 2009",

http://mail.plaske.net/en/home/results-of-event-2009/.

Baltic Sea. This leading position makes it easier to attract new cargo for the

Viking train for the regular trips between Klaipeda and Illichevsk. In order to

keep the competitive position in railway transport beside the Russian ports, the

other major ports in the eastern Baltic region have to invest in its infrastruc-

ture.

There are two different options to improve the competitiveness. First, the

Baltic States invest in a better connection with the Russian railways. Second,

the states solve the interoperability problems. Both options are in progress, but

the second one has more potential. The Rail Baltica project can help to reduce

the interoperability problems. The Trans-European railway Rail Baltica, link-

ing Helsinki – Tallinn – Riga – Kaunas – Warsaw – Berlin on its track. With

its completion in 2016 this railway line will change the rail freight traffic in all

directions. The Viking and Rail Baltica line will cross each other in Kaunas.

The region around Kaunas and Vilnius could grow to a major hub for contain-

erised and Ro-Ro cargo in the future. Two transport corridors (I, IX) cross this

region and provide the logistic complexes of Kaunas and Vilnius with freight

flows from the north-south and east-west axis. Containerised cargo from

China which comes via the Black Sea and then via the Viking line to Kaunas

could easily be reloaded on the Rail Baltica train which is on the way to

Europe. On the other side container flows from the ports of Riga, Tallinn and

Klaipeda could be concentrated at this intersection point and from there sent to

the south or west. We still have gauge changes on the route from China via the

Black Sea and in Kaunas, but due to the technical improvement on this route

the time for reloading of the cargo will be minimized. With these future pros-

pects logistic complexes at this intersection point will further expand and the

regions Kaunas and Vilnius will merge together.

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On the Authors

Prof. Dr. Gunnar Prause, Thomas Kusch, Kristina Hunke

c/o Hochschule Wismar, Fakultät für Wirtschaftswissenschaften

Philipp-Müller-Straße

Postfach 12 10

D - 23952 Wismar

Telefon: ++49 / (0)3841 / 753 297

Fax: ++ 49 / (0)3841 / 753 131

E-Mail: kristina.hunke@hs-wismar.de

WDP - Wismarer Diskussionspapiere / Wismar Discussion Papers

Heft 13/2007: Anne Przybilla: Die Verwaltungsreform und die Einfüh-

rung der Doppik in die öffentliche Verwaltung

Heft 14/2007: Jost W. Kramer: Erfolgsaspekte genossenschaftlichen

Wirtschaftens aus betriebswirtschaftlicher Perspektive

Heft 01/2008: Uwe Lämmel (Hrsg.): Wirtschaftsinformatik – Was ist

das?

Heft 02/2008: Florian Wrede: Qualitätsmanagement – Eine Aufgabe

des Controllings, des Marketings oder des Risikoma-

nagements?

Heft 03/2008: Regina Bojack/Barbara Bojack: Comenius, ein moder-

ner Pädagoge

Heft 04/2008: Chris Löbbert/Stefanie Pawelzik/Dieter Bastian/Rüdi-

ger Steffan: Datenbankdesign und Data Warehouse-

Strategien zur Verwaltung und Auswertung von Unfall-

daten mittels Risikopotenzialwerten und Risikoklassen

Heft 05/2008: Reinhard J. Weck/Anatoli Beifert/Stefan Wissuwa: Wis-

sensmanagement - quo vadis? Case Positions zur Um-

setzung in den Unternehmen. Eine selektive Bestands-

aufnahme

Heft 06/2008: Petra Wegener: Die Zeit und ihre Facetten in der Foto-

grafie

Heft 07/2008: Anne Przybilla: Personalrisikomanagement – Mitarbei-

terbindung und die Relevanz für Unternehmen

Heft 08/2008: Barbara Bojack: Co-Abhängigkeit am Arbeitsplatz

Heft 09/2008: Nico Schilling: Die Rechtsformwahl zwischen Personen-

und Kapitalgesellschaften nach der Unternehmensteu-

erreform 2008

Heft 10/2008: Regina Bojack: Der Bildungswert des Singens

Heft 11/2008: Sabine Hellmann: Gentechnik in der Landwirtschaft

Heft 12/2008: Jost W. Kramer: Produktivgenossenschaften – Utopi-

sche Idee oder realistische Perspektive?

Heft 01/2009: Günther Ringle: Vertrauen der Mitglieder in ihre Genos-

senschaft - Das Beispiel der Wohnungsgenossenschaf-

ten -

Heft 02/2009: Madleen Duberatz: Das Persönliche Budget für Men-

schen mit Behinderungen – Evaluation der Umsetzung

am Beispiel der Stadt Schwerin

Heft 03/2009: Anne Kroll: Wettervorhersage mit vorwärts gerichteten

neuronalen Netzen

Heft 04/2009: Claudia Dührkop: Betriebswirtschaftliche Besonderhei-

ten von Zeitschriften und Zeitschriftenverlagen

Heft 05/2009: Dieter Herrig/Herbert Müller: Kosmologie: So könnte

das Sein sein. Technikwissenschaftliche Überlegungen

zum Entstehen, Bestehen, Vergehen unserer Welt

Heft 06/2009: Verena Theißen/Barbara Bojack: Messie-Syndrom –

Desorganisationsproblematik

Heft 07/2009: Joachim Winkler/Heribert Stolzenberg: Adjustierung

des Sozialen-Schicht-Index für die Anwendung im Kin-

der- und Jugendgesundheitssurvey (KiGGS) 2003/2006

Heft 08/2009: Antje Bernier/Henning Bombeck: Landesbaupreis für

ALLE? – Analyse der Barrierefreiheit von prämierten Ob-

jekten des Landesbaupreises Mecklenburg-Vorpom-

mern 2008

Heft 09/2009: Anja Graeff: Der Expertenstandard zum „Entlassungs-

management in der Pflege“ des Deutschen Netzwerks

zur Qualitätsentwicklung in der Pflege: Wirkungsvolles

Instrument für die Qualitätsentwicklung in der Pflege?

Heft 10/2009: Maria Lille/Gunnar Prause: E-Governmental Services in

the Baltic Sea Region

Heft 11/2009: Antje Bernier/Henning Bombeck/Doreen Kröplin/Kata-

rina Strübing: Öffentliche Gebäude für ALLE? – Analyse

der multisensorischen Barrierefreiheit von Objekten in

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig Holstein und

Hamburg

Heft 12/2009: Susanne Eilart/Eva Nahrstedt/Stefanie Prack/Stefanie

Schröer: „Der Mindestlohn muss her, weil man von Ar-

beit leben können muss“

Heft 13/2009: Claus W. Turtur: Wandlung von Vakuumenergie elekt-

romagnetischer Nullpunktoszillationen in klassische

mechanische Energie

Heft 01/2010: Jonas Bielefeldt: Risikomanagement unter Marketing-

gesichtspunkten

Heft 02/2010: Barbara Bojack: Der Suizid im Kinder- und Jugendalter

Heft 03/2010: Thomas Dahlmann/Andreas Hauschild/Maik Köppen/

Alexander Kofahl/Uwe Lämmel/Stefan Lüdtke/Stefan

Luttenberger: Wissensmanagement mittels Wiki-Sys-

temen

Heft 04/2010: Günther Ringle/Nicole Göler von Ravensburg: Der ge-

nossenschaftliche Förderauftrag

Heft 05/2010: Antje Bernier/Henning Bombeck: Campus für ALLE? –

Analyse der multisensorischen Barrierefreiheit von

staatlichen Hochschulen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Heft 06/2010: Herbert Müller: Die Hauptsätze der Thermodynamik.

Eine Neubetrachtung aus systemwissenschaftlicher

Sicht mit Konsequenzen

Heft 07/2010: Gunnar Prause (Ed.): Regional Networking as Success

Factor in the Transformation Processes of Maritime In-

dustry. Experiences and Perspectives from Baltic Sea

Countries

Heft 01/2011: Karsten Gaedt: Strategischer Bezug des externen

Wachstums

Heft 02/2011: Hubert Kneußel: Partizipationsformen der Umwelt-

politik und des Energiesektors

Heft 03/2011: Slim Lamine, Roland Rohrer, Moritz Ruland, Holger

Werner: Marketing und Vertrieb als erfolgsrelevante

Faktoren eines Unternehmens

Heft 04/2011: Frauke Harder, Assaf Hoz-Klemme: Emotionale Mar-

kenkommunikation im Investitionsgütermarketing am

Beispiel des Antriebssystemherstellers MTU

Heft 05/2011: Jonas Bielefeldt: Der E-Commerce und seine Vergü-

tungsmodelle in Bezug auf Affiliate-Marketing

Heft 06/2011: Alexander Kirsch, Thorste S. Stoyke: Erfolgsfaktoren für

eine produktive Zusammenarbeit zwischen Marketing

und Vertrieb - Bestandsaufnahme, Trends, Lösungs-

möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Einflussnahme

Heft 07/2011: Harald Mumm: Benchmark zur Tourenoptimierung

Heft 08/2011: Jürgen Hönle, Barbara Bojack: Alkohol- und Drogen-

probleme von Auszubildenden als Ursache von Ausbil-

dungsabbrüchen

Heft 08/2011: Jürgen Hönle/Barbara Bojack: Alkohol- und Drogen-

probleme von Auszubildenden als Ursache von Ausbil-

dungsabbrüchen

Heft 09/2011: Martin Merrbach: Globale Ungleichgewichte – Sind sie

für die Finanzmarktkrise (mit-) verantwortlich?

Heft 10/2011: Rünno Lumiste/Gunnar Prause: Baltic States Logistics

and the East-West Transport Corridor

Heft 11/2011: Joachim Winkler: Ehrenamtliche Arbeit und Zivilgesell-

schaft

Heft 12/2011: Christian Reinick/Jana Zabel/Meike Specht/Judith

Schissler: Trendanalyse im Bereich Windenergie am

Beispiel Chinas

Heft 13/2011: Thomas Kusch/Gunnar Prause/Kristina Hunke: The

East-West Transport Corridor and the Shuttle Train “VI-

KING”

ISBN 978-3-942100-76-2

INTERREGIONAL COOPERATION IN EURASIA TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS PROJECTS AS AN ACCELERATOR OF INTEGRATION WITHIN AND BETWEEN THE BLACK SEA REGION, THE SOUTH CAUCASUS AND THE CENTRAL ASIA

Chapter

Full-text available

Sep 2013

Strategic Location of the South Caucasus The South Caucasus is unique in its characteristics as a region located in the Eurasian area. Despite the fact that it is a relatively small area and landlocked, due to its geopolitical location this region plays an important role as an existing and potential transport hub. This is especially the case if we consider land transport routes; this is the only part of the Eurasian region which could be an alternative to Russia and Iran for the transport of goods and passengers between such important regions as the European Union and countries of the Far East.This becomes clear if we look at the map of the Eurasian continent in its vertical dimension: a line drawn from the Barents Sea in the north to the Persian Gulf coast in the south will cross the wide spaces of the European part of Russia, a small strip of the territory of the South Caucasus region states, and then Iran. Considering the existence of economic sanctions against Iran and the Russian position of natural monopoly, for historical or geographical reasons, on overland transit, the importance of the South Caucasus is further emphasized. In these circumstances, possible alternative land routes in Eurasia can only pass through the territories of the South Caucasus states. At the same time, the South Caucasus region can play a significant role as an additional transport network to that existing through the Suez Canal maritime route. Thereby, the two largest manufacturers regions and world markets, the Europe and Far East, would be able to diversify their communication and transportation routes. Parallel with that, the need for a new transport corridor through the South Caucasus is increasing in order to reduce risks and losses during transportation, and with the increase in demand and consumption through the whole Eurasian region. Given this turn of events, the South Caucasus states intend to reap economic dividends from the region’s unique position. One of the goals is to create a transportation hub between Europe and Asia. The South Caucasus region is concentrating on developing all kinds of 52 INTERREGIONAL COOPERATION IN EURASIA TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS PROJECTS AS AN ACCELERATOR OF INTEGRATION WITHIN AND BETWEEN THE BLACK SEA REGION, THE SOUTH CAUCASUS AND THE CENTRAL ASIA transport infrastructure. This will assist the South Caucasus states to realize two purposes: to be able to export goods and services produced in the region to the world market, and to become a hub for transportation between regions, especially Central Asia and the Black Sea region states.

The South Caucasian Transport Corridor: A new Eurasian Transport Option

Book

Full-text available

Aug 2024

This paper highlights the transformative potential of the New Eurasian Landbridge initiative and answers several questions regarding possible strategic endeavour that can bolster transcontinental infrastructure, enhance trade dynamics, and foster cultural exchange between Europe and China. It is a known fact that the geopolitical landscape of Eurasia has undergone significant transformations in recent years that positions the region at the heart of global trade and economic development [1]. Central to this evolution is the New Eurasian Landbridge initiative, a strategic endeavour aimed at bolstering transcontinental infrastructure, enhancing trade dynamics, and fostering cultural exchange between nations involve [2]. The classical concept of the Eurasian Landbridge placed Russia in the centre of the transcontinental transport links with a focus on the railway system, especially the Transsib railway, from China via Mongolia or Kazakhstan to Moscow and further towards Europe. This concept developed during the last 30 years and regular logistics links were established that needed about two weeks to transport goods between Europe and China [3]. A central role in Europe was taken by the Duisburg in Germany representing one of the biggest inland container ports in the world. Even though the transported cargo volume had never exceeded 1% of the total cargo volume between Europe and the Far East, the success of this version of the Eurasian Landbridge was very promising to the extent that many logistical side concepts and extensions were developed and implemented to strengthen connectivity and accessibility and to improve the service quality of the transcontinental transport system.

381 Is There A Role for Tranexamic Acid in Upper GI Bleeding? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Article

May 2021

Introduction Upper Gastrointestinal bleeding is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. It has been suggested that tranexamic acid (TXA) may be useful in arresting bleeding. Aim To synthesise available evidence of the effect of TXA on upper GI bleeding. Method A systematic review was conducted. PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane central register of controlled trials were searched for relevant studies. A random effects meta-analysis was performed to determine the risk ratio of primary and secondary outcomes. Results 8 studies were included in the review. Total number of patients included was 12994 including 4550 females (35%). The effect of TXA on mortality: risk ratio was 0.95 which favoured TXA however the 95% CI ranged from 0.80 to 1.13 and was not statistically significant. The re-bleeding rate risk ratio was 0.64, which favoured the TXA group and with a 95% CI ranging from 0.47 to 0.86 this was statistically significant. The risk of adverse thromboembolic events: risk ratio was 0.93 favoured the TXA group however the 95% CI extended from 0.62 to 1.39 and so was not statistically significant. Conclusions We cannot recommend the routine use of TXA in the setting of acute upper GI bleeding outside its use in randomised controlled clinical trials.

Design Management for SME

Conference Paper

Full-text available

May 2013

Gunnar Prause

In times of increasing global economic competition design and design management is gaining a more and more role in business discourses resulting in a constantly increasing deployment of design management in diverse business practices and in the scientific realm. A special relationship exists between design management and branding which enjoys a raising attention by various scholars. Nevertheless the broad variety of definitions, conceptualisations and manifestations of design management makes it complicated to measure the impact of design management on branding and to develop concepts to improve the level and quality of design management in companies. Innovation is the key driving factor for the economic grow and social wealth. Innovative products and services emerge more often as a result of cross-sectoral combination of technologies, design and business models. meanwhile, Design Thinking, Open Innovation and Design Management are high-ranked topics on the entrepreneurial agenda, since they are representing broadly recognised key driving factors for economic grow and social wealth. Unfortunately, the logistics sector is lagging behind in the application and implementation of design management concepts. The original impetus for the paper is a concern with a very specific focus on design management and its implications on logistics corporates as complex and multilayer structures and highlights the role of design management concepts for business performance. The research paper is based on the results of an EU – project on design management and follows a qualitative approach and draws on analysis of interviews and questionnaires gathered from experts and representatives of SMEs with different intercultural and interdisciplinary background.

Smart Contracts for Cooperative Governance

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Jul 2019

Gunnar Prause

A smart contract is a computerized transaction protocol for the execution of underlying legal contract. Thus, smart contracts target reducing transaction costs by realizing trackable and irreversible transactions through blockchain technology for distributed databases. Smart contracts also show high potential to strengthen cooperative business structures and to facilitate also entrepreneurial collaboration of cross-organizational business processes.. Green transport corridors (GTC) which have been defined by European Union as 'sustainable logistics solutions for cargo transportation' with a shared pool of resources aiming for multimodal transshipment routes with a concentration of freight traffic between major hubs. Besides technical and infrastructural issues, management and governance play a crucial role in the success and the performance of a GTC. This paper discusses the research question of how and to which extent smart contracting and blockchain technology can be applied in cooperative governance and how it facilitates collaborative business structures for sustainable entrepreneurship. The research is based on expert interviews, surveys and case studies in the context of GTC-related EU projects.

Nachhaltigkeitsperspektiven an der Schnittstelle globaler Supply Chains – Häfen als Treiber von Green Ports-Strategien

Chapter

Mar 2018

In den Häfen der Welt als unabdingbaren Schnittstellen globaler Supply Chains steht derzeit die Digitalisierung mit Ihren Auswirkungen auf die Transport- und Logistikwirtschaft ganz oben auf der Agenda. Ein anderes, für die langfristige strategische Entwicklung der Branche bedeutenderes Thema, nämlich die Nachhaltigkeit, gerät damit ein Stück weit aus dem aktuellen Blickfeld. Tatsächlich aber haben sich bereits viele Häfen längst den Herausforderungen einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung gestellt und sich als Treiber von Green Ports-Strategien positioniert. Sie tun dies zum einen, um sich im verschärfenden Wettbewerb um die Kunden und zwischen Häfen und Regionen zu behaupten und zum anderen, in dem Bewusstsein, dass nur so ein dauerhaft leistungsfähiges, nachfragegerechtes und wirtschaftliches Transportwesen aufrecht erhalten werden kann. Am Beispiel der Bremischen Nachhaltigkeitsinitiative „greenports“ beschreibt dieser Artikel Maßnahmen und Aktivitäten, mit denen Häfen aktiven Einfluss auf die Gestaltung nachhaltiger Supply Chains nehmen und so ihre Rolle neu definieren.

TÜRKİYE'NİN ENERJİ LOJİSTİĞİ YÖNETİMİNDE YENİ YAKLAŞIMLAR

Chapter

Full-text available

Dec 2021

GİRİŞ Etrafımızdaki her şey bir akış halinde olan enerji ile çevrilidir. Her geçen gün enerjiye olan talep artmasına rağmen yenilenemeyen kaynak rezervleri hızla azalmaktadır. Bu kaçınılmaz sonu yavaşlatmak alternatif arayışları gerek-tirmektedir. Dolayısıyla sürdürülebilir enerji anlayışı, dünya çapında temel bir endişe haline gelmiştir (Aziz vd.,2019:1). Enerji, önceleri insan ve hayvan kası yardımıyla elde edilirken, sonraları yerini odun, turba ve kömür gibi katı yakıtların yanması ile oluşan kaynaklara bırakmıştır. Bu kaynakların kullanım yerlerine getirilmesi o dönemde büyük bir çaba gerektirirken, sonradan fark edilen sıvı petrol ile menziline daha konsantre ve daha esnek bir şekilde öncelikli olarak ulaştırılabilen bir enerji kaynağına sahip olunmuştur. XIX. yüzyılın başına kadar Amerika dahil birçok ülkenin yerleşim merkezinde aydınlatma yöntemi, ilk Yunanlılar ve Romalılar tarafın-dan bilinenden çok farklı değildi. Artan nüfus ve şehir merkezlerinin gelişimine paralel olarak özellikle uzun zamandır aydınlanma için kullanılan ve balinalar-dan elde edilen parafin yağının elde edilmesinin de zorlaşmasıyla yeni petrol kaynaklarının aranması gerekli olmuştu. XIX. yüzyılın ortalarına gelindiğinde petrolün türevi olan gazyağı, Kuzey Amerika ve Avrupa'da aydınlatma alanın-da yaygın olarak kullanılıyordu. Sanayi Devrimi ile beraber petrolden aydın-latma için yararlanmaya devam edilirken; farklı çeşit ve özellikte yağların da ucuz ve uygun koşullarda elde edilmesinde petrolün hammadde olarak kulla-nılmaya başlanması, bu enerji kaynağının var olan kıymetini daha da artırmıştı (Curley,2011:12-13). Bilhassa 1950'li yıllarda petrolün millileştirilme politika-ları ile 1970'li yıllarda meydana gelen petrol krizi; enerji kaynaklarının verimli, güvenli ve etkin yönetilmesi gerekliliğini ortaya koyarken, diğer taraftan fosil yakıtlara alternatif kaynakların üretilmesi politikalarına ağırlık verilmesi gerekli-liği de önem kazanmıştır.

Integration Perspectives of Eurasian Land-Based Transport Corridors: Empirical Evidence from the OBOR and Rail Baltica Initiatives

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2020

Land-based Trans-Eurasian transport corridors, their current development and perspectives have been high on the political agenda in the last two decades not only in Europe and China but also in the transit countries such as russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. A number of conceptual initiatives are already being implemented. The Belt and road or the one Belt, one road (oBor) initiative on the Chinese side and the rail Baltica project from the European perspective have gained special attention. Big-scale infrastructural projects are also being implemented by transit countries, e.g., the construction of a motorway from China to Europe-from Kazakhstan via russia to Belarus-to facilitate 4 the land-based shortcut for cargo transport within the Eurasian transport corridor. This article investigates the general framework conditions of infrastructural investments into projects related to Eurasian logistics and discusses strategic areas of intersection between the European activities and the new Silk Way. in the framework of the oBor initiative, this article also addresses the interaction of the Chinese-Kazakh-russian-Belarusian-polish railway transport, with a special focus on Belarusian-polish cross-border issues. The authors have participated in several projects focusing on transport corridors and discuss the research question of how different Eurasian land-based transport corridors can be integrated and which strategic role can the rail Baltica project play in the context of the new Silk route. The research is based on surveys, expert interviews, secondary data research and case studies.

The Rail Baltica and the New Silk Route: New corridors for Eurasian supply chains

Chapter

Mar 2019

Gunnar Prause

The Rail Baltica initiative represents one of the highest ranked infrastructural projects on the European transport agenda aiming for the construction of a European gauge railway link from Tallinn via Riga and Kaunas to Warsaw in order to connect the Baltic States to the European railway system. Since 2017 the project has been provided with European finances to promote the first investments and to start the construction activities. The coordination work in the Baltic States is coordinated by RB Rail AS which is located in Riga. Until now the Rail Baltica initiative has been mainly considered as a transport infrastructural project trying to link the Baltics closer to Central Europe without changing the railway platforms at the Polish border.

Cooperative governance for green transport corridors

Chapter

Mar 2018

Gunnar Prause

The EU White Paper on Transport from 2011 emphasized the green transport corridors (GTC) as sustainable logistics solutions for cargo transportation in the European Union. Until today, the first implementations of GTC concepts have been finalized and the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) enjoys a vanguard position in the development. The results of the first GTC projects showed that besides technical and infrastructural issues the management and governance of GTC play a crucial role in the success and the performance of a corridor.

Intermodal Transport & Logistics. Development of combined transport train "VIKING

Aleksas Adomaitis

Adomaitis, Aleksas, Intermodal Transport & Logistics. Development of combined transport train "VIKING", found under http://www.unece.org/trans/wp24/wp24-presentations/documents/pres07-03.pdf.

Jan 2010

Belintertrans

Belintertrans, found under http://en.belint.by/viking, 12.05.2011. China Container Port Industry Report 2010, found under http://www.researchinchina.com/Htmls/Report/2010/5999.html, 17.05.2011.

Opportunities and Challenges for joint railway policy along EWTC, Presentation EWTC II Conference Vilnius 29.06

Jan 2010

Stasys Dailydka

Dailydka, Stasys, Opportunities and Challenges for joint railway policy along EWTC, Presentation EWTC II Conference Vilnius 29.06.2010.

Pilot Project «Interaction of EAIS (Single Automated Informational System) and NCTS in Ukraine»

Jcs Plaske

Plaske JCS, Pilot Project «Interaction of EAIS (Single Automated Informational System) and NCTS in Ukraine».

KIPIS – Freight and Goods Information System

Klaipeda Port

Port of Klaipeda, KIPIS – Freight and Goods Information System, found under http://www.portofklaipeda.lt/en.php/urgencies/4875?mark=KIPIS, 17.05.2011.

EWTC Association-an effective instrument for EWTC collaboration and development

Jan 2010

Dr Šakalys
Algirdas

Šakalys, Dr. Algirdas, EWTC Association-an effective instrument for EWTC collaboration and development, Presentation EWTC II Conference Vilnius, 29.06.2010.

Presentation: Development of the East-West Transport Corridor in European and global context

Jan 2008

Dr Šakalys
Algirdas

Šakalys, Dr. Algirdas, Presentation: Development of the East-West Transport Corridor in European and global context, 14.02.2008.

Presentation: "MONGOLIAN VECTOR

Jan 2010

Tautginas Sankauskas

Sankauskas, Tautginas, Presentation: "MONGOLIAN VECTOR", 29.06.2010.

Transport dialogue and interoperability between the EU and its neighbouring countries and Central Asian countries

Sep 2009

Traceca Idea Project

TRACECA IDEA Project, Transport dialogue and interoperability between the EU and its neighbouring countries and Central Asian countries, September 2009, found under http://www.traceca-org.org/fileadmin/fm-dam/TAREP/58jh/58jh2.pdf.

International Political Economy of Black Sea Port Sector: Rivalry between Russia and Ukraine

Michitaka Hattori

Hattori, Michitaka, International Political Economy of Black Sea Port Sector: Rivalry between Russia and Ukraine, 04.03.2010, Seoul.

The East-West Transport Corridor and the shuttle train 'VIKING'

Figures

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