Short sea shipping opportunities for the Pyrenean cargo flows

Abstract

This paper tries to show the results and conclusions reached by a small research team within the TRANSMAR research group of the Nautical Engineering and Sciences department from the Technical University of Catalonia, the research study carried out has been called INECEU (Intermodality between Spain and Europe) and it has been endorsed by the Spanish Ministry of Transport. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the chances for the maritime transport within a multimodal chain, to alleviate the freight road traffic crossing every year the Pyrenean border. In fact, there is well known the limitations of the terrestrial infrastructures, being nowadays supporting a high degree of congestion. Thus the possibility to pass a part of those goods carried by truck to the maritime mode, would help to reduce those highways overloading, and also improving the pollutant particles and gases emissions. In a first instance the transport by sea, is the most efficient in consumption and pollution terms. However its own justification is not dependent only from the sea leg figures in a multimodal chain but from the overall steps by which the cargo loaded on board should pass.