MOST

MOST (Motorways of the Sea Training) Italy is the training course for professionals that the Escola Europea Intermodal Transport offers exclusively to the Italian logistics and transport market.

4 days

English

Italian

Civitavecchia

Barcelona

The cost depends on the size of the group.

Contact us!

Objectives
  • To provide training in intermodal logistics, short sea-shipping services and the motorways of the sea.
  • To get to know the benefits and calculate the savings to be gained from the use of the motorways of the sea, in terms of costs, the environment and risks.
Participant profile
  • Logistics operators;
  • Maritime agencies,
  • Port authorities;
  • and relevant institutions from the sector
Contents
  • Motorways of the Sea in Europe
  • Intermodal Logistics
  • Calculation of marginal external costs
  • Competitive analysis: types of operations and comparison of costs between transport modes
  • Port and forwarding services
  • EU environmental policy in transport’

+ Group work

Workshops
  • Land visit of the port of Civitavecchia
  • Maritime visit of the port of Barcelona
  • Loading goods into the ship
  • Tour of the garage area
  • Visit to the bridge
  • Visit to the engine room (optional)

Networking

Networking activities are organised during the course to facilitate the development and exchange of contact networks between professionals and experts in the national sector.

Testimonials

The course organisation is impeccable. I hope I will be able to take more courses in the next years, to increase my network and deepen my studies and find new inputs to improve and keep on growing, thank you!

I feel lucky to have been able to learn with and from professionals in the field, and with a spectacular organization. Congratulations!

It was a wonderful experience.

Very interesting and fun course.

#DidYouKnow?

#BacktoBasics: Short Sea Shipping

 Short Sea Shipping (SSS) refers to the movement of cargo and passengers by sea over short distances, acting as a crucial component of intermodal transport chains. Unlike deep-sea routes that cross oceans, SSS typically operates within the same continent or between nearby countries. It serves as an efficient bridge between other modes of transport, such as road, rail, and inland waterways, facilitating seamless door-to-door services. It is a central part of intermodal transport, and this is why we are focusing on it in this month’s #BacktoBasics series.

Cruise Roma - Grimaldi Lines

Cruise Roma – a short sea shipping ferry berthed in the Port of Barcelona

Advantages of Short Sea Shipping

SSS offers numerous benefits over other transportation methods. Environmentally, it’s significantly cleaner, producing lower emissions per tonne of cargo moved compared to road and air transport when looking at transport emissions through a global lens. Economically, SSS can be more cost-effective, especially for bulk or heavy goods, due to lower fuel costs and economies of scale. It also alleviates congestion on busy road networks and is characterized by high reliability and safety standards.

  • Environmental Benefits: One of the most compelling advantages of SSS is its reduced environmental footprint. Maritime transport emits significantly lower levels of CO2 and pollutants per tonne-kilometre of cargo transported compared to road and air transport. This makes SSS a cornerstone of sustainable logistics strategies, particularly important in the context of global efforts to combat climate change. The adoption of cleaner fuel technologies and advanced vessel designs further enhances the environmental credentials of SSS, making it an even more attractive option for eco-conscious businesses.
  • Cost-effectiveness: From a financial perspective, SSS offers considerable savings, especially for bulk and heavy cargo. The economies of scale achievable with maritime transport mean that larger volumes of goods can be moved at a lower cost per unit than would be possible with road or air freight. Additionally, the indirect costs associated with road congestion and the wear-and-tear on infrastructure are significantly reduced, presenting a compelling case for businesses looking to optimize their supply chain expenses.
  • Congestion Relief on Land Routes: By shifting a portion of cargo traffic from congested roadways to the sea, SSS plays a vital role in alleviating traffic congestion. This not only improves the efficiency of the transport system as a whole but also contributes to reducing accidents and delays associated with over-reliance on road transport. In urban areas, where road congestion is a significant issue, SSS can offer a practical solution to reduce pressure on land transport infrastructure.
  • Reliability and Safety: Maritime transport is known for its reliability and safety record. The predictable nature of sea routes, free from the unpredictability of road traffic conditions, allows for more accurate scheduling and planning. The stringent international regulations governing maritime safety and the professional operation of vessels further ensure that cargo transported via SSS reaches its destination securely.
  • Versatility and Accessibility: SSS offers unparalleled versatility, capable of accommodating a wide range of cargo types—from liquid bulk and dry bulk to containers and oversized loads. This flexibility makes it an essential component of diverse supply chains. Moreover, with the extensive network of ports and coastal routes, SSS provides access to regions and markets that might be challenging to reach via other modes of transport, thus enabling businesses to explore new opportunities and expand their reach.
  • Integration with Other Modes of Transport: A key advantage of SSS is its ability to integrate seamlessly with other transport modes, such as road, rail, and inland waterways. This multimodal connectivity ensures that goods can be transported from origin to destination efficiently and cost-effectively, leveraging the strengths of each mode. For instance, SSS can be used for the main leg of transportation, with road transport covering the ‘last mile’ delivery, thus combining the cost and environmental benefits of maritime transport with the convenience and reach of road transport.

Differences Between SSS and Other Modes of Transport

While long-haul sea shipping focuses on transporting goods across oceans, SSS emphasizes shorter, more frequent services. Compared to road transport, SSS can handle higher volumes at lower costs, with less environmental impact. Against rail and air, SSS stands out for its versatility in cargo types and routes, though it may not match the speed of air freight or the land coverage of rail.

RoTypes of Traffic and Vessels in SSS

SSS employs a variety of vessels to accommodate different cargo types:

  • Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) Ships: Ideal for wheeled cargo like trucks and trailers, allowing for quick loading and unloading.
  • Lift-on/Lift-off (Lo-Lo) Ships: Used for containers and bulky goods, loaded and unloaded by cranes.
  • Container Ships: Specialized for containerized cargo, facilitating easy transfer between different transport modes.
  • Ferries (Ro-Pax) and Barge Services: Transport both passengers and vehicles across short distances.

Key Considerations for Businesses

When integrating Short Sea Shipping (SSS) into their logistics strategies, businesses should consider the following:

  • Route Selection: It’s crucial to choose SSS routes that offer dependable schedules and connect well to inland transport. Aligning these routes with the supply chain can cut down transit times and expenses.
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis: SSS can be more economical than other transport methods, but businesses should weigh all costs, including tariffs and inventory expenses, against the benefits, such as reduced congestion and emissions.
  • Environmental Considerations: SSS is a greener option, which companies can use to their advantage in marketing efforts and to meet sustainability goals.
  • Integration with Other Transport Modes: Coordination with road, rail, and air freight is essential for the efficient movement of goods, necessitating strong partnerships with various stakeholders in the supply chain.

By carefully assessing these factors, businesses can fully leverage the advantages of SSS and enhance their overall logistics operations.

 

Examples and Success Stories

  • The Baltic Sea Region: The Baltic Sea is a prime example of effective SSS, connecting countries like Sweden, Finland, and the Baltic states with Germany, Poland, and Russia. Services such as the Viking Line and Tallink Silja offer frequent Ro-Ro and passenger ferry services, facilitating trade and tourism. This region showcases how SSS can offer a competitive alternative to land and air transport, especially in areas with challenging geography.
  • Mediterranean SSS Corridors: The Mediterranean region has developed robust SSS corridors that link European ports with North Africa and the Middle East, serving as vital links for freight and passenger movement. Companies like Grimaldi Lines or GNV operate extensive Ro-Ro, Lo-Lo, and ferry services, supporting regional trade and contributing to economic development.
  • North American Great Lakes: The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System is a key SSS route in North America, allowing ships to move cargo from the Atlantic Ocean to the industrial heartland of the USA and Canada. This route demonstrates SSS’s role in supporting domestic and international trade, reducing highway traffic, and promoting economic growth in the region.

Conclusion

The future of Short Sea Shipping (SSS) looks promising as global trends lean towards more sustainable and integrated transport solutions. As businesses and governments seek to reduce carbon emissions and alleviate congestion on roads, SSS stands out as a viable and attractive option. Advancements in ship technology, such as the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other alternative fuels, are making SSS even more environmentally friendly. Additionally, digitalization and the use of blockchain technology in maritime logistics are expected to enhance efficiency, transparency, and security in SSS operations.

The increasing emphasis on multimodal transport networks will further elevate the importance of SSS, making it an integral component of global supply chains. As we move towards a greener and more connected world, SSS is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of transportation and logistics.

We’ve done our research – so should you! Check out our sources below to delve more deeply into the topic:

SOURCES

  1. European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA): “The Environmental Benefits of Short Sea Shipping
  2. International Maritime Organization (IMO): “Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships
  3. The Baltic Sea Region Intermodal Transport Research: “Efficiency and Sustainability of SSS in the Baltic Sea.
  4. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development: Short Sea Shipping and the Energy Transition”: https://unctad.org/news/short-sea-shipping-and-energy-transition
  5. Mediterranean Shipping Company Case Studies: “Innovative Solutions for Mediterranean Short Sea Shipping.”
  6. The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System: ” Great Lakes Short-Sea Shipping Could Improve US-Canada Cargo Movement”: https://maritime-executive.com/article/great-lakes-short-sea-shipping-could-improve-us-canada-cargo-movement
Smart logistics concept

Back to basics: What is a Smart Port?

This year at the Escola we thought that we would go back to some basic (but modern) concepts connected to intermodal transport. With the series that we are calling #BackToBasics, we will begin explaining some concepts that are central to the transport sector today, but which can be confusing to some. We will kick-start our series with the concept of a “Smart Port.”

Daily Logistik: Asian Development Bank describes a smart port as a port that ensures “no waste of space, time, money and natural resources.”

What is a Smart Port?

 The inclusion of the word “smart” in the name implies the capabilities of the port and the integrated workflow (Marine Insight).  So what is it exactly? A smart port is a modern port that uses advanced technology and digital systems to improve the efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness of its operations. Smart ports often use digital tools such as sensors, data analytics, augmented reality, big data, digital twins and automation to optimize the movement of cargo, reduce waste and emissions, and provide better services to stakeholders (which include shipping companies, customs authorities, and local communities). Smart ports may also include features such as renewable energy sources, electric charging stations (Onshore Power Supply), and smart infrastructure for logistics and transportation

“The goal of a smart port is to enable a more efficient, sustainable, and profitable port ecosystem that can support economic growth and regional development.”

What are Smart Port’s Digital Tools ?

Smart ports are classified as “smart” because they use a variety of digital tools to optimise their operations. These include:

  1. Sensors: Smart ports often use sensors to monitor various aspects of their operations, such as cargo movement, traffic flow, environmental conditions, and security. These sensors can provide real-time data that can be used to optimize operations and improve decision-making.
  2. Data analytics: Smart ports use data analytics to process and analyse the data collected from sensors and other sources, such as shipping manifests and customs declarations. This data can be used to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for improvement.
  3. Automation: Smart ports may use automation technologies such as robots, drones, and self-driving vehicles to improve the efficiency and accuracy of certain tasks, such as cargo handling and inspection.
  4. Digital platforms: Smart ports may use digital platforms, such as cloud computing, blockchain, digital twins and internet of things (IoT) technologies, to connect various stakeholders and enable more efficient and transparent communication and collaboration.
  5. Clean technologies: Smart ports can incentivize the use of cleaner technologies, such as electric vehicles and renewable energy sources, to reduce the environmental impact of port operations.
  6. Energy efficiency measures: Smart ports can implement energy efficiency measures, such as LED lighting and energy-efficient systems, to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Why? For cleaner, greener ports

The use of digital tools helps smart ports reduce costs, improve service quality, and increase agility and responsiveness to market demands. There is no doubt about it. However, another characteristic of a smart port is its emphasis on sustainable operations and the creation of a greener port.

Below you can find some elements that help characterise a smart port that as “green”:

  1. Promoting recycling and waste reduction: Smart ports can implement recycling programs and encourage the use of reusable containers and packaging materials to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency.
  2. The use of renewable energy: Smart ports can use a variety of renewable energy sources to power their operations, including
    1. Solar power: Smart ports can install solar panels on rooftops, car parks, and other suitable areas to generate electricity from the sun.
    2. Wind power: Smart ports can install wind turbines on land or offshore to generate electricity from wind.
    3. Hydroelectric power: Smart ports located near rivers or oceans can use the flow of water to generate electricity through hydroelectric power plants.
    4. Geothermal power: Smart ports can use geothermal energy, which is generated from the Earth’s internal heat, to generate electricity and heat buildings.
    5. Biomass: Smart ports can use biomass, such as wood chips or agricultural waste, to generate electricity through combustion or anaerobic digestion.
  3. The use of electric vehicles: Many ports have begun to use electric vehicles, cranes and container stackers within their terminals to minimise emissions and ensure cleaner air around the port community area. By providing multiple charging points, smart ports make it easier for the port community companies to operate these clean energy vehicles.

Overall, reducing waste and emissions is an important aspect of sustainable port operations and helps smart ports contribute to global efforts to combat climate change and protect the environment.

Sources:

Hydrogen

A Spotlight on Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Written by Lidia Slawinska

Written by: Lidia Slawinska, Digital Communications

Over the past decade hydrogen has really taken centre stage in the search for an alternative fuel for maritime transport. Different applications of the gas have been researched and trialled in various maritime scenarios. The most recent and most successful case in recent years, without a doubt, has been the development and implementation of hydrogen fuel cells. In this #DidYouKnow article we take a look at this technology and consider its impact on the maritime industry.

Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Fuel cell technology has been around since the early 1800s. A fuel cell is an “electrochemical energy conversion device that was invented in 1839 by William Grove to produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen into water” (GenCell Energy). Like regular batteries, fuel cell batteries can convert potential energy into electricity, and result in heat as a by-product. In the 1950s, in the heart of the Cold War arms and space races that took place between the USA and USSR, liquid hydrogen was explored as a powerful fuel and finally used to send rockets into space – taking it one step closer towards the hydrogen fuel cell.

In recent years this technology has been considered for freight transport journeys. As more and more research is being done on different sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, fuel cell technology took centre stage. Using the example of green hydrogen to power ships, researches have adapted Grove’s traditional concept to be able to use hydrogen’s energy and convert it to electricity and heat, and therewith power the vessels’ propulsion mechanisms. In other words, hydrogen fuel cells combine hydrogen with oxygen, and therewith produce electricity. The hydrogen is sourced from a tank that is built into the cell, where it then reacts with oxygen that is “sourced” from air. The resulting chemical reaction produces electricity, water and heat. The water and heat are released as water vapours, and thus are considered zero-emission by-products.

The electricity provides continuous energy to the ships as long as the cell is fed with the “fuel” – in this case hydrogen gas. This proves to be an advantage over conventional electric batteries that have a fixed shelf-life or need recharging . Fuel cells generate very little noise pollution, can easily be modified for different-sized vessels, and have no distinct moving parts. There is a general consensus that the vast majority of vessels could easily be retro-fitted with this technology – therewith lowering the carbon footprint of the shipping industry.

Hydrogen Sourcing

 It is not difficult to understand why scientists are excited about such capabilities of hydrogen – as it is the most abundant element on our planet. However, it is rare to find it in its isolated form. It can found in water and other hydrocarbon chemical elements such as methane. In order for it to be used in hydrogen fuel cells, the element needs to first be isolated through chemical, biological or solar-driven processes. (An interesting side-note is that nearly 85% of hydrogen is already being produced daily in fossil fuel refineries during the processes of removing sulphur from gasoline).

There are sustainable sourcing solutions utilised by some companies in the world. Hydrogen can be produced using biogas, or through electrolysis that uses electricity generated by solar or wind power. Relying on such sourcing alternatives will help keep CO2 emissions low from the entire hydrogen fuel operation in the transport sector.

Sustainable Shipping

One kilogram of hydrogen has the same energy density as a gallon of diesel.

At the end of the noughts, the European Commission began to direct its policies more actively towards sustainable transport amid growing concerns related to climate change. In the 2008 European Strategic Energy Technology Plan, hydrogen and fuel cells were singled out as the new technologies that would help the transport sector achieve a 60-80% reduction in GHG by the middle of the century.

Because hydrogen fuel cells already exist, and don’t require a huge investment of shipowners to install them in vessels, they are being considered as a fore-runner in the field. William Alan Reinsch, Scholl Chair in International Business estimates that “hydrogen fuel could replace 43 percent of voyages between the United States and China without any changes, and 99 percent of voyages with minor changes to fuel capacity or operations.”

Currently there is already one hydrogen powered ship – the Energy Observer – carrying out a six-year trip around the world. In its virgin voyage, the ship uses solar panels, wind and wave turbines to power the process. Its success coud determine whether the method could prove efficient and effective for various ocean voyages.

Challenges to Hydrogen

It wouldn’t be prudent to assume that hydrogen was the faultless solution that would eliminate all GHG within the shipping industry – as it has some challenges and complications. Hydrogen gas is extremely flammable, and its chemical properties mean that it can burn at both low and high concentrations when combined with oxygen in an uncontrolled reaction. Shipowners need to make sure that important safety measures are in place to lower the risk of such explosions during their transport and storage.

An added complication that would need to be addressed is that the element (even in its liquid form) is very energy dense. This means that the fuel cells themselves take up more volume on larger vessels – potentially lowering the profitability of the voyages themselves for ship owners (with diminished cargo spaces on the vessels themselves).

Finally, the cost of the type of hydrogen sources is also important to take into account. Hydrogen Fuel Cells use so-called “Green Hydrogen” (there are three types – Gray, Blue and Green, with Green being touted as the most ecologically sourced) – which currently is the most expensive hydrogen available on the market. For the shipping industry to be truly sustainable, this is the hydrogen type that would need to be used, and therefore its costs would need to be adjusted to make it appealing to the private sector.

A Greener Future

There is no doubt that the path ahead for the shipping industry is difficult and full of unknowns. There is no one-answer-fits-all solution to try to eliminate GHG emission from the oceanic trades. Different solutions are currently being tested and are being developed at astonishing rates. More than one would need to exist for the goals set by the IMO for 2050 to be reached.

Hydrogen Fuel Cells are proving to be very effective and, if embraced by the shipping industry, could prove integral towards the goal of zero emissions maritime transport. Even though no giant vessels have embraced the technology, smaller ferries and ships have begun operating in the USA, France, Norway and Belgium. Moreover, “oil major Royal Dutch Shell has invested in several hydrogen production projects in Europe and China, arguing that hydrogen is “advantaged over other potential zero-emissions fuels for shipping,” as attested by William Alan Reinsch – a huge sign that even the traditional fuel sourcing companies are coming on board.

There is still a long road ahead, but with the continuous innovations from scientists and financial contributions from big players in the industry, the goal of achieving global net zero emissions by 2050 could, perhaps, be attainable. Hydrogen fuel cells could be responsible for a significant step in that direction.

Sources

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