Aim: To improve cross-border port connectivity and to contribute to the development of multimodality in order to facilitate more effective and sustainable transportation of freight and to improve regional competitiveness in terms of both intra-European and international trade and transport chains.

Objectives:

1) To prepare a strategic cross-border Port and Transport Infrastructure Investment Framework for the period 2010-2015 and a Spatial-Economic Masterplan for the Logistics Sector covering the area of Hampshire (including Southampton and Portsmouth), Sussex, Kent, Nord Pas de Calais and West Flanders.

2) To increase capacity on a number of strategic freight transport corridors focusing on the adaptation and maximisation of existing transport infrastructure in order to increase port and their hinterland connectivity and to improve the ports’ intermodal functionality (switch between sea and road, rail, inland navigation).The impact of the project is a coordinated understanding of the inter-relationship of investments in port access on both sides of the Channel Arc.

Activity 1: CROSS-BORDER PORT AND FREIGHT TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK AND LOGISTICS MASTERPLAN. This activity delivered a Strategic Cross-Border Port And Transport Infrastructure INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK covering the area of Hampshire (including Southampton and Portsmouth), Sussex, Kent, Nord Pas de Calais, West Flanders for the period 2010-2015. Activity 2: MODAL SHIFT (RAIL & LONGER DISTANCE SHIPPING) FOR PORTS WITH A NATIONAL ECONOMIC FUNCTION. Action 2: RAIL FREIGHT FOR MODAL SHIFT. Action 2.1 focussed on adapting existing port infrastructure in two key congested strategic cross-border transport corridors within the 2 Seas area served by the nationally significant ports of Calais, Dover and Zeebrugge and in investigating in a new potential corridor:



Action 2.1.1. DOVER & CALAIS RAIL FREIGHT TERMINAL. This action led to the introduction of a partial or even seamless rail based freight distribution chain, contributing to modal shift from road to rail on one of Europe’s busiest HGV transport corridors. In addition a comprehensive study to fully convert the old rail marshalling yard of the port into an intermodal rail-road freight terminal was implemented.



Action 2.1.2. RAIL GAUGE ENHANCEMENT SOUTHAMPTON-WEST MIDLANDS. This action focussed on completing pre-investment works in order to upgrade the rail gauge along the Southampton port-West Midlands main freight corridor to enable 9’6’’ (high cube) containers to be carried on standard container wagons. The key product was the completed engineering design for key rail structures located in the Hampshire area, the rail advancement in Southampton has ameliorated the commodities transport along the Zeebrugge-Southampton (-West Midlands) shipping route.



Activity 3: IMPROVING CONNECTIVITY AND BOOSTING COMPETITIVENESS FOR PORTS WITH A REGIONAL ECONOMIC FUNCTION. Action 3.1: OOSTENDE MULTIMODAL QUAY AND INLAND WATERWAY CONNECTION. Action 3.2: PORTSMOUTH ACCESS BOTTLENECK. Removal of a road bottleneck at the port of Portsmouth. Action 3.3 SHOREHAM ACCESS SOLUTIONS AND SUSSEX PORTS CROSS-BORDER COMPETITIVENESS. Delivery of a transport development model for the port of Shoreham and establishment of a Sussex ports strategic grouping.

Activity 1 : 1 Strategic cross-border Port and Transport Infrastructure Investment Framework Study.
Activity 2: 1 upgraded port rail terminal (Calais) and 1 Calais (-Dover) corridor logistic study
- 1 business case to investigate the reinstatement possibility of a port rail head in Dover;
- 1 set of completed pre-investment works (engineering studies, designs and specifications) to increase the rail gauge of a major strategic rail link (Southampton to the Midlands)
- Adapted and renovated short-sea shipping berth and landfill contiguous to the ro-ro terminal and the bridgehead/foundation for paving and surfacing to allow for the off-loading and storage of materials (Zeebrugge).
Activity 3: 1 upgraded multimodal quay, 1 inland navigation study and test case and 1 international ports business forum (Oostende)
- Removal of 1 road bottleneck to port (Portsmouth) and integrated reconfiguration spatial plan for the port of Portsmouth to identify and design.
- 1 set of reports on Shoreham reconfiguration strategy and improved road transport access between the port and its hinterland (Shoreham);
- Improved rail access to port (Boulogne-sur-Mer)

Activity 1: The beneficiaries are the 3 regions of the C2C project e.g. South East England, Nord Pas de Calais and West Flanders as the Strategic cross-border Port and Transport Infrastructure Investment Framework Study brings together national logistics studies from each region into a cohesive cross-border document which addresses the commonalities of the issues facing these competitive ports.

Activity 2: The beneficiaries are SEEDA (LP) as representing the South East of England; Port of Dover, Port of Calais and Port of Zeebrugge. The South East of England benefits from an enhanced rail network which can now transport 9’6” freight containers which previously travelled by road. The Port of Calais no longer has to transport new cars through the town as they have a new cars platform on site which can accept and store deliveries. The Port of Zeebrugge is benefitting from increased traffic as the updated jetty now allows larger vessels into the port area.

Activity 3: The beneficiaries are the Port of Shoreham in SE England as the project delivered a transport development model taking the development of the port area a stage further. The Port of Oostende now showcases a multimodal transport facility. The port of Portsmouth now has an access road for lorries directly into the commercial port area avoiding the city centre. The Port of Boulogne sur Mer has re-established a rail link between the port and the main rail network system to encourage modal shift from Road to rail.

The South East of England benefits from an enhanced rail network which can now transport 9’6” freight containers which previously travelled by road. The Port of Calais no longer has to transport new cars through the town as they have a new cars platform on site which can accept and store deliveries. The Port of Zeebrugge is benefitting from increased traffic as the updated jetty now allows larger vessels into the port area.

The Port of Shoreham in SE England has also benefited as the project delivered a transport development model taking the development of the port area a stage further. The Port of Oostende now showcases a multimodal transport facility. The port of Portsmouth now has an access road for lorries directly into the commercial port area avoiding the city centre. The Port of Boulogne sur Mer has re-established a rail link between the port and the main rail network system to encourage modal shift from Road to rail.

C2C focussed on ports in NWE. Ports by their very nature rely on each other for cooperation in terms of trade and development to maintain a competitive industry. The added value of C2C as a cross-border project has been in delivering a planning strategy for NW European ports for the short, medium and long term which would not have been possible without the 3 regions represented in C2C project working closely together. The sharing of their experiences and granting access to their individual business networks brought together the evidence to develop the study. Indeed the strength of these interdependencies mean that the NWE ports can act together to safeguard their future in a more globalised economy.

The C2C project has always worked closely with the 2 Seas PATCH (Ports Adapting To Change) project and indeed shares many of the same goals although with a slightly different focus. C2C was about maximising the use of port infrastructure while the PATCH project aims to share best practice, to upgrade port management skills and port operations and foster port diversification of activities, focusing on high growth sector opportunities (energy creation, innovative technologies).

Always keep the lines of communication open between the LP and the partners and the project management team and the JTS.

Read and re-read emails from partners and the JTS to make sure your understanding of what is written is correct.

Don’t be afraid to politely remind partners of their responsibilities within the project when requesting information or clarification on any issue.

Do remember that for many partners the project is only a part of their daily workload so show empathy and be realistic in setting timeframes for work to be achieved and always offer to assist where possible.

The production of the strategic CROSS-BORDER PORT AND FREIGHT TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK AND LOGISTICS MASTERPLAN included extensive consultation with stakeholders across the NEW maritime area in order to ensure direct ‘ownership’ of the results. The printed study will be distributed by partners to local, national and regional bodies to influence future planning within the logistics sector based on knowledge of the 2 Seas area as a whole, by broadening the existing secular stance taken by planning bodies. the financial structures in place to deliver the infrastructure investment. The C2C pilot actions including the small-scale investments were selected based on the implementation of strategic planning exercises on a regional level and the implementation of detailed option analysis and business cases at the partner level to ensure their long-term sustainability. The small-scale investments in ports and rail terminals in the C2C project should be reflected in lower rates for port customers to encourage traffic development and modal shift and therefore will have a long-lasting positive effect on the competitiveness of port-based logistics. Opportunities for new maritime and rail services are likely to be taken forward by commercial operators.

Many members of the C2C project partnership are already collaborating on other European funded projects such as the Interreg IVA 2 Seas project PATCH and projects in the Interreg IVB North Sea Region e.g. Lo-Pinod.
C2C was itself built on partnerships formed from past European projects e.g. the Interreg IIIb IMPACTE project. The partners have often expressed the value ERDF projects have for their organisations and will no doubt continue to apply for funding in the future and can draw on a wealth of experience to help them achieve their goals

The legacy of this is a strong and every growing network of partners from across Europe who now have the experience of applying for and managing many of the programme funding streams available including funding from the 2 Seas programme and who will continue to do so. (except for SEEDA which knew its abolition as an organisation)