Tag Archive for: intermodal training

Aragón Boosts Rail Transport in the Intermodal Logistics Chain with the SURCO Training Course

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The second edition of the SURCO Aragón course concluded with total success: all offered places were filled, and there was active participation from 26 professionals from Aragón, Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia.

The SURCO courses – Simple Use of Railway Connections – delve into intermodal rail operations within ports and rail terminals, focusing on the characteristics and advantages of this type of transport. In this second edition of the SURCO Aragón training, held from February 5 to 16, 2024, between Zaragoza, Barcelona, and Perpignan, professionals from different cities of different regions gathered to share the fundamental elements of rail logistics and apply them to reality through visits to operators and by solving a practical case. On this occasion, the training was organized and created in collaboration with ALIA – the logistics cluster based in Zaragoza – and with the support of companies such as the Maritime Terminal of Zaragoza, the Port of Barcelona, VIIA, Renfe, SLISA, Aragón Logistical Platform, ADIF, and the terminals of LFP Le Perthus, Morrot, and APM Terminals.

In this edition, the 26 participating professionals from different public administrations such as the General Directorate of Transport of Aragón, Aragón Logistical Platform, and the Army; freight transport companies, freight forwarders, and import and export companies from the Aragón community, as well as others interested in the use of rail transport, were able to apply and understand the different elements necessary to offer efficient solutions through rail in the multimodal chain.

This training programme aligns with the objectives set by the European Union to promote the use of rail highways and the overall increase in train traffic, as part of a strategy to promote sustainable mobility in the region. In this context, acquiring knowledge about the different aspects related to freight rail transport is not only advantageous for students and professionals but also essential for companies involved in this sector. Therefore, the availability of educational courses and programmes with both a local and international focus, such as that offered by SURCO Aragón, is particularly relevant.

The theoretical sessions focused on key topics such as the management of rail systems, the European TEN-T, the impact of rail transport on the environment, contracting and international rail transport, and the analysis of the costs of rail transport chains.

To reinforce theoretical learning, the programme incorporated various visits to key railway infrastructures at the border between Spain and France, such as the truck rail terminal at Le Boulou by ViiA, the Maritime Terminal of Zaragoza, the ADIF PLAZA intermodal terminal, the Figueras-Perpignan line tunnel at Le Perthus, the Morrot rail terminal, the ADIF traffic control center in Zaragoza, and the APM Terminals container terminal.

The course also included a practical team project, which offered participants the opportunity to apply and fully understand the knowledge acquired during the course.

For more information about the Escola and its railway courses, please visit the SURCO section of our website.

Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport Forges Strategic Partnership with STC Group to Enhance Intermodal Training Opportunities

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In the photo (left to right): Ramon van Hal, lecturer and specialist in port logistics; Hans Wentink, Director, STC Group; Eduard Rodés, Director, Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport; Marta Miquel, Chief Business Officer, Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport

The Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport, a renowned European centre for logistics and intermodal transport training, is proud to announce a new partnership with the STC Group, the main training institute in the Port of Rotterdam led by its Director, Hans Wentink, and supported by Ramon van Hal, a distinguished Lecturer specialising in port logistics.

This dynamic collaboration marks the framework for a collaboration which started seven years ago and it is now stated as key for both institutions. This agreement defines a journey to enrich the intermodal training landscape by bringing together two influential institutions dedicated to education and industry excellence.

Eduard Rodés, Director of the Escola Europea, expressed his enthusiasm for this collaboration, stating, “We are thrilled to join forces with the STC Group. This partnership opens up vast opportunities for students in Rotterdam and Barcelona, allowing them to explore the intricacies of maritime and intermodal transport. Together, we aim to foster innovation and cultivate the next generation of logistics leaders.”

During a day of intensive discussions and facility presentations, the Escola Europea team showcased their facilities to the Dutch experts. The result of these fruitful deliberations is a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that outlines several key objectives:

  • Establishing an institutional framework to facilitate collaboration on international and European projects, aimed at developing new training programmes and enhancing student mobility between the two countries.
  • Sharing best practices within the framework of the Port Logistics International Knowledge Academy – PLIKA, in collaboration with other network partners.
  • Strengthening cooperation in the fields of human resources development and youth training, recognizing their pivotal role in shaping the future of logistics.

The collaboration will focus on a diverse range of training areas, including foreign trade, sustainable development, freight forwarding, intermodal transport, port logistics, energy transition, and distribution logistics.

The Escola Europea specialises in courses in the Mediterranean designed for current and future professionals responsible for managing logistics chains, offering cost-effective alternatives in terms of service, cost, and time. In contrast, the STC Group brings extensive expertise in higher education focused on transport and port operations. This partnership provides a comprehensive training proposition in intermodal freight transport, offering students a wealth of opportunities to excel.

The Escola Europea prides itself in employing an experiential learning methodology, combining theoretical instruction with hands-on facility visits to introduce the concept of ‘co-modality’ as a tool for improving transport management. With access to port and rail facilities, students gain first-hand insights into intermodal logistics and transport operations. Furthermore, the Escola’s Port Virtual Lab, an innovative and comprehensive platform, offers cutting-edge technological and educational tools, enabling international trade, logistics, and transport students and professionals to simulate real-life operations and access a wide range of resources to enhance their knowledge and skills.

As a prominent educational institution, the STC Group is a household name in the world of shipping, transport, logistics, and the process industry in Rotterdam and beyond. The organisation is dedicated to providing high-quality education and training to learners of all ages and actively participates in European knowledge projects, contributing to the development of future professional requirements and educational programmes.

Escola Europea Finalises first Sicily Port Academy Course with Promising Outcomes

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The inaugural course of the Sicily Port Academy, organised by the Escola Europea, the European centre of excellence for logistics and intermodal transport training, concluded yesterday in Palermo. The course saw the participation of more than fifty students from ITS InfoMob Palermo and the University of Palermo’s Transportation Engineering degree programme.

Lupi: “An important achievement just a few months after our entry into the Escola Europea. An opportunity for education and employment.”

Over the course of two days, a series of visits, meetings, and lessons were conducted, all with the overarching goal of fulfilling the course’s objectives. These objectives included equipping high school, ITS Academy, and university students with the essential knowledge required to comprehend the Palermo community, its infrastructure, logistics facilities, and port operations. Additionally, the course aimed to facilitate companies in the sector, through collaborative associations, in showcasing the distinctive aspects of their work and the professional profiles in need of development. Furthermore, it sought to encourage these companies to engage students through internships and school-work programmes.

Rodés: “The beginning of a series of activities for the development of the logistics-port community.”

Eduard Rodés, Director of the Escola Europea, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “We are thrilled to be in collaboration with the Port of Palermo, our recent partner, to share our knowledge and expertise for the purpose of contributing to the sustainable development of port logistics in this region. Initiating a course in Palermo represents a new and significant chapter in the history of the Escola Europea. This achievement is the result of the tireless efforts and dedication of numerous individuals, under the leadership of President Pasqualino Monti, with invaluable contributions from Luca Lupi, numerous other port operators, and, naturally, the Escola Europea team led by Country Manager Italy – Marco Muci and Alessia Mastromattei. For us, this marks the inception of a series of initiatives aimed at fostering the harmonious growth of a more well-prepared and unified logistics-port community.”

Luca Lupi, the Secretary General of the Western Sicily Sea Port Authority (AdSP), expressed his satisfaction, stating, “I am delighted with this remarkable achievement. The course garnered significant interest from participants and was organized shortly after our association with the Escola Europea. I extend my gratitude to Mayor of Palermo, Roberto Lagalla, and Giuseppe Pierro, the Director General of the Regional School Office for Sicily, who wholeheartedly embraced the project’s objectives. This endeavour presents a substantial opportunity for educational and employment growth within the city, particularly in the strategically vital logistics-port sector. Furthermore, I am delighted to announce the upcoming launch of the first navigation course departing from the Port of Palermo and concluding in Genoa. This initiative, also in collaboration with the Escola Europea, is scheduled to commence in the spring of 2024.

The successful completion of the Sicily Port Academy’s inaugural course marks an exciting chapter in the Escola Europea’s journey, showcasing its commitment to fostering collaboration and education in the Italian port and logistics sector. With the Port of Palermo as its newest partner, the Escola Europea is poised to further expand its footprint in Italy. As the institution continues to introduce new courses and projects, we can anticipate a bright future of sustainable development and increased opportunities for students, professionals, and the logistics-port community in this vibrant region.

The Escola and In-Move collaborate to promote railways

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On the 13th of this month, the Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport, a European reference centre for training in logistics and intermodal transport, and Railgrup’s In-Move have signed a collaboration agreement in Barcelona to promote ther use of railway in the intermodal transport chain. 

With this agreement, both entities have committed to raise awareness among transport users and logistic operators to adhere to the European Union’s committment to increase the visibility and practicality of rail transport within the Economic area.

Both In-Move multimodal logistics cluster initiative and the Escola Europea have agreed to offer courses in Spain, which will be aimed at professionals responsible for managing logistics chains in which intermodal transport can be a profitable alternative in terms of service, cost or time. Through this agreement, both companies will form a comprehensive training proposal in intermodal maritime-rail freight transport.

The courses will provide participants with the knowledge and tools to analyse the different elements that are necessary to contract a traint in a transport operation, and understand all of the associated costs, as well as to learn about the infrastructures and intermodal equipment that enable rail transport to be used as part of the multimodal transport chain.

The experiential learning methodology provides a practical point of view, combining theoretical classes and practical visits to transport facilities, introducing the concept of ‘co-modality’ as a tool for improving transport management. In this experience, participants will have access to the railway-port infrastructures, where they will see the logistics and transport operations, their management and their development first-hand, allowing students to experience these operations in person.

Thanks to the agreement between In-Move and the Escola Europea, professionals seeking to specialise in the design of intermodal transport logistics chains will be able to access a unique training offer, designed by both entities and their collaborators –  expert professionals with extensive experience in the rail and maritime freight sectors.

With this commitment, the Escola Europea – Intermodal Transporte strengthens the current offer of its courses and training in rail freight transport which comprise of SURCO Operations I and SURCO Operations II.

 

The Escola Europea as a model for training in the logistics and ports industry in Thailand

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On the 25th of October the Escola Europea, together with the Port of Barcelona and the Barcelona port community, signed a collaboration agreement in the framework of the Commercial and Trade Mission of the Port of Barcelona to Thailand. The agreement aimed to build and strengthen relationship with this country.

The document focused on training within the industry between the two port communities and was signed by Santiago Garcia-Milà, the Deputy Director General of Strategy and Development of the Port of Barcelona; Emili Sanz, Vice President of FETEIA-OLTRA; Marta Miquel, Chief Business Officer of the Escola Europea Intermodal-Transport; and Witoon Santibunyarat, President of the Thai International Freight Forwarders Association (TIFFA).

Among other things, the document highlighted the intentions and needs of the industry in both ports and recognised the need to build better trained, qualified, and digitalised port communities to improve the commercial relationship between Spain and Thailand, and make transactions more efficient. All of this was supported by the signatories, namely the Port of Barcelona, the Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport, the Spanish Freight Forwarders Federation (Federación Española de Transitaris – FETEIA in Spanish) and TIFFA.

Trade mission in Thailand 2022

The meeting with the Thai International Freight Forwarders Association (TIFFA) was accompanied by a working session entitled “Logistics training”. The session organised as part of the port’s trade mission to Thailand together with associations of consignees, customs agents and forwarding agents from both Barcelona and Bangkok. This event helped configure the training programmes that make up the Barcelona port community, and therewith position itself as a model of reference for the port-logistics fabric of Thailand.

In practical terms, the agreement reached envisioned the promotion of joint activities in the field of training and the implementation of a pilot training course in international trade operations, which will focus on trade transactions between Thailand, Europe and Mediterranean countries. Based on the results of this pilot course and the parties’ interest in further developing the relationship, the establishment of a stable collaboration framework for the development of joint courses will be considered, as well as the exchange of students in the frameworks of international projects. As part of this commitment to training Port Virtual Lab was introduced – a simulation tool for a cluster of companies and entities that make up a virtual port community, and that is able to simulate real operations.

Digitalization of operations is a necessity in today’s industries and that is why the Escola Europea has developed this innovative training platform. Both professionals and students of higher education institutions and can experience firsthand activities related to international trade, all the while interacting with our simulated companies. This way, Port Virtual Lab  provides the practitioner with an experiential learning environment from a distance, one in which users are immersed in a creative social space that allows them to design and experience their own training and innovation.

If you would like to know more about the trade mission, or are curious about the new platform, you can check out the platform website (https://www.portvirtuallab.com) or contact us (international@escolaeuropea.eu).

Open call for trainings in Barcelona on International Trade administrative processes

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The Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport, lead partner of the YEP MED project, along with Barcelona Activa and the city council of El Prat de Llobregat have opened the call for registration for the upcoming International Trade’s administrative process trainings.

 

If you have an administrative background and are looking for job opportunities this open call to the three YEP MED administrative process trainings can give you tools and knowledge on administrative processes behind international trade and port operations.

These 3 courses will take place between the 27th of September and the 26th of October on a hybrid format of online and in-person visits to the local facilities that surround transport operations within the port environment in the city of Barcelona.

All these courses are open to young people and women who have an administration background.

The last two courses may be taken only after completing the first one. For more information, you can consult the event on our website.

A course for professionals with an administrative background

If you have experience working in the International Trade sector in the administration department, you might have the basic knowledge and skills to initiate this training cycle. The course will provide you an all-encompassing overview of the port logistics community and the administrative processes that surround transport operations within a port environment and thanks to the funding from the ENI CBC MED Programme – the courses are free.

A three-phase program

By attending the three courses you will get to know the general scenario of international trade, first-hand knowledge of the Port of Barcelona, its infrastructures, logistics equipment and operations, management of the financial and legal operations behind international trade.

This training cycle is divided in three courses:

The first course – Introduction to International Trade Operations – will take place online and in Barcelona between the 27th and the 4th of October 2022.

Students will receive a general introduction to the administrative processes related to international trade operations in Barcelona and get familiar with the basic aspects of import and export operations.

The second course – Port Logistics Community Training –in onsite format will take place between the 5th and the 11th of October 2022, aiming to give the participants a more complete view of the Port of Barcelona, its infrastructures, logistics equipment and operations. Also providing local companies the opportunity to showcase their operations and present the professional profiles that they are currently searching, a great chance for networking.

The final course of this series – Administrative Processes in International Trade– will take place from the 13th until the 26th of October and will be on a hybrid format, incorporating the new innovative approach developed for the YEP MED with the Simulated Practice Enterprises Methodology.

Career opportunities on administrative process for International Trade

In pursuing a career in administrative processes, you will get to know the general scenario of maritime and intermodal transport as well as all the standards and regulations, documentation, logistics suppliers in the port community and financial management of the process.

Some of the main jobs on the administrative International Trade positions are related to the Supply Chain, Global trade, and Trade Finances sectors, such as: Administrative Assistant, Project Support Administrator, Project Administrator, Customs Entry Administrator, Export control Administrator, Facilities Administrator and Reception, Financial Planning Administrator, and more.

Registrations for young people and women who have an administration background are open and can be done through the website of each course until all places are filled.

Icon for the SURCO Operations course

The Escola Europea to kick off 2022 with a course in railway intermodality

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Between the 24th to the 28th of January 2022, the Escola will bring back the in-person railway intermodality courses with the newest edition of the SURCO Operations II course. The course offers advanced training in intermodal logistics and international and national railway freight transport.

The training is directed at professionals linked to companies involved with freight transport, shippers and/or port authorities.

The course analyses the different elements required for the provision of rail services and gives the necessary training and information to those who manage logistics chains in which the railroad is seen as a cost-effective alternative for services, cost or time. It also promotes the use of rail transport by exploring its characteristics.

The lecturers of the course are provided by relevant companies in the railway transport sector:   Viia, TMZ Zaragoza, Port de Barcelona, BASF, LFP Perthus, Puertos del Estado, Renfe and Adif. Taking place over 5 days, the course will combine both theoretical lectures on the state of the art of European railways with practical visits to terminals in Barcelona, Zaragoza, and Perpignan (France).

This SURCO course marks a shift back to the Escola’s signature experiential courses following the drastic changes that took place in 2020 and 2021 to help mitigate the effects of the global health crisis.

For more information, you can head to the programme website: https://escolaeuropea.eu/calendar/surco-operations-ii-2022/.

Diploma ceremony held on the 3rd of July 2021

Escola’s restarts its MOST courses

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Last Saturday, on the 3rd of July, the intermodal transport course “Motorways of the Sea training – MOST” started in Barcelona. In total, thirty five students from 11 different nationalities studying Master’s programmes in Logistics and International Trade, Internationalisation of SMEs and Customs Law and Management at the University of Barcelona participated in the 4-day long training.

The day began with a solemn ceremony to present diplomas to some 100 graduates which, exceptionally and due to health safety measures, was held outdoors in front of the Escola Europea’s headquarters, at Placeta de l’Areté, Terminal Drassanes on the Moll de Barcelona.  On behalf of the Port of Barcelona and the Escola, its director, Eduard Rodés, welcomed the participants.  On behalf of the University of Barcelona, Dr. Oscar Mascarilla, director of the Master’s programmes, spoke. The Honourable Ramon Tremosa, Minister of Business and Knowledge of the Generalitat de Catalunya until a few weeks ago, supported the event and addressed the students, encouraging them to put their knowledge at the service of the competitiveness of their respective countries. Afterwards, the participants and their accompanying family members made a maritime visit to the Port of Barcelona.

The MOST course started early in the afternoon on the same day, and the group departed for Civitavecchia – the port of Rome – on board of the Grimaldi RO-PAX vessel “Cruise Barcelona”. The teachers of the Escola Europea on this occasion were Marta Miquel, the Chief Operating Officer, Antonio Vargas, representing Grimaldi Lines and Eduard Rodés, as course director.

Simultaneously, the first two weeks of July saw the start of the Escola’s annual Summer School in Port Operations for Vessels and for Goods. The course is held in classroom in-person format with the participation of 16 students from Egypt, Yemen and Somalia.

The MOST course is the first on-board course that the Escola was able to hold since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. It is a promising sign showing the ability of the Escola to begin to bring its unique experiential courses back into play.

Escola Europea's Executive Committee meeting - January 2021

1000+ students pass through the Escola’s doors in 2020 despite the pandemic

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Distance learning, digitalisation and online courses will mark the evolution of the Escola Europea in the near future, as was found during the bi-annual Executive Committee meeting on the 21st of January 2021.

The meeting brought together representatives of the 5 founding partners of the Escola – Catalina Grimalt from the Port Authority of Barcelona, Luca Lupi from the Port Authority of Civitavecchia, Silvio Ferrando from the Port Authority of Genoa, Mario Massarotti from Grimaldi Lines and Mr Antonio Pedevilla from GNV. Representing the Escola Europea, the director Eduard Rodés who also serves as the president of the Committee and the Escola’s Chief Financial Officer Concha Palacios – the Committee’s secretary – attended.

During the meeting various milestones of the Escola’s difficult 2020 were reviews. The Covid-19 pandemic had brought the activities of the Escola to nearly a standstill from March 2020 through the summer. A nearly existential shift took place to restructure the Escola’s iconic practical workshop courses to fit the new distance-learning and virtual environment. Nevertheless, there were some important achievements that took place despite the obstacles. More than 1000 students have managed to pass through the Escola’s doors through 19 courses and 12 Logistic Port Workshops. More than 20 scheduled practical courses had to be postponed to an unspecified date due to the global health crisis – a grim conclusion to an already grim 2020.

During the Committee meeting, a review took place of the projects that the Escola is currently involved in and has planned for 2021. A new training course for members of the MEDPorts Association focused on Energy Transition in Ports s is currently in the works, scheduled to take place either virtually or, if the situation permits, in person in May and June 2021. The Escola’s leadership participation in the YEP MED project, co-financed by the European Union, was also highlighted. A new project – called TechLog, was also summarised – this project is currently in the consideration stage of the ENI call for proposals. The Escola’s role in other projects, including RePort as well as the projects it is managing on behalf of the Port of Barcelona such as the CarEsmatic and Core LNGas hive projects, was also highlighted.

The future looked even brighter in the now newly digitised world of the Escola as the meeting came to a close. Eduard Rodés highlighted the upcoming new collaboration with the Occitan Region of the South of France in the new “Vivez l’intermodalité” project – an expansion of the Forma’t al Port in France. Moreover, the development of a new Virtual Lab, brought to life through the YEP MED project characteristics, is looking to bring new life to the TransLogMed project in 2021.

The Executive Committee meets twice a year to review the progress and achievements of the Escola Europea’s operations. Its next meeting will take place in November 2021.

Puertos del Estado and the Escola Europea work to advance training in the field of transport

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The Spanish Ports organisations – Puertos del Estado (PdE)– represented by its president Francisco Toledo – held a videoconference with representatives from the Escola Europea – led by Eduard Rodés – on the 15th of July 2020. This working meeting marked the starting point in the road towards the drafting of a general agreement between the two entities. The areas covered during the meeting include those maintained since 2004 for the promotion of short sea shipping. Puertos del Estado has promoted shortsea and railway courses, given partial scholarships for port authority staff and provided teachers since the Escola’s founding. Some of the teachers who have represented PdE in the Escola’s courses include Álvaro Rodriguez Dapena, Antonio Góngora and Jaime Luezas, who is also a member of the Escola’s Academic Committee on behalf of Puertos del Estado.

Alongside the main areas of activities of the Escola, other proposals in the field of education in the logistics-port communities and railway intermodality have also been analysed, some which are in the development phase and where there are points where collaboration could allow for important synergies.

Francisco Toledo undertook to work with his team on a more stable relationship framework with the Escola, based on ongoing projects and submitted proposals. The Escola and Puertos del Estado have been able to maintain a very good relationship of collaboration since 2004, before the Escola was founded in the shape and form that it is known today, following the first course that took place in 2004 with the Port of Barcelona. PdE has also been involved with the Shortsea Promotion Center of Spain in the development of the Escola since 2006 under the framework of the European Marco Polo Programme.

“It has been a lasting and fruitful relationship for both parties. We must now continue to add fuel to the fire to keep this collaboration alive, adapting it to the changes that are taking place” commented Rodés following the meeting. The director of the Escola also praised the president of the OPPE, outlining his profile as a connoisseur of the port business, a key point that facilitates his dialogue with and knowledge of the sector.

Tag Archive for: intermodal training

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