Start date: 01-07-2020

End date: 31-12-2022

Budget in Euro

Overall: 3.603.511,25

ERDF Contribution: 2.261.133,69

IPA Contribution: 223.730,59

ENI Contribution: 578,120,21

Priority:  Better connected and energy responsible Danube region

Project Specific Objectives:

  1. Enhancing the Danube Corridor’s connectivity with the EU Eastern Partnership and with the Black Sea riparian countries.

To further strengthen the efficiency of existing and future connections between EUSDR countries and EU Eastern Partnership and Black Sea riparian countries, the Project aims to contribute by addressing one of the commonly identified challenges at EU/EUSDR level, namely transport infrastructure connectivity. To this end, the project’s activities should contribute towards further connecting the Trans-European Network for Transport (TEN-T) with networks in the EU Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova & Ukraine) and with Black Sea riparian countries (Russian Federation & Turkey).

The EU has extended the Trans-European Network for Transport (TEN-T) to Western Balkans countries and recently agreed on the extension of the TEN-T with six Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine). Therefore, possible solutions for enhancing the Danube Corridor’s connectivity with non-EU countries part of the EU Eastern Partnership will be identified, analyzed and proposed.

This process shall consider the selection of the Core Network Sections and Nodes PLUS, of the Comprehensive Sections and Nodes, including potential links enhancing Danube Corridor’s connectivity to other corridors in the Region, based on IWT-based freight and passenger’s flows. All the above-mentioned activities and results will be considered for the elaboration of an Awareness and Promotion Strategy for Danube Transport, including facilitation activities for investment in connecting cross-border/cross Black Sea services.

Regional public stakeholder consultations will be conducted to validate possible options outlining new links among the Transport Corridors crossing the Danube Region & Black Sea Region & Central Asia Region. Also, measures supporting this initiative shall be identified.

  1. Supporting the multi-/ intermodal development of the transport corridors within the Danube Region through port development and IWT connections with other transport modes (Rail & Road).

In order to support the multimodal and intermodal transport corridors development in the DR, modern & reliable IWT, rail and road infrastructure in ports has to be available to the transport operators of both freight and passengers. The transfers of cargo between modes should be seamless, efficient and cheap.

This is facilitated by having terminals, preferably connecting more than two modes, in the right location, with the right cargo handling facilities, and the right level of capacity.

In this context, an important element of logistics and hinterland connectivity to consider is the link between the multimodal facilities and the location of economic zones and industrial areas. Inland ports and extended gates are important elements in this new development, by functioning as a facilitator for multimodal connections and as a platform for the DR.

At the infrastructure level, apart from missing links in the infrastructure for single modes, the main bottlenecks to be addressed would be at the level of transfer nodes or terminals. To this end, a multi-/intermodal status-quo analysis of Danube Region ports shall be performed, including a consolidated report identifying future trends (cargo flows) and (minimum) necessary intermodal / interconnectivity services level.

Also, a Strategy Report including recommendations for the development of multi-/intermodal & superstructure improvements will be prepared, taking into consideration all transport modes analyzed (IWT, maritime, rail and road).

Additionally, several analyses will be performed and associated reports prepared, such as: Status-quo and mid-term perspective of road/rail/maritime/IWT infrastructure in Danube ports, Rail/ road/maritime/IWT service level connectivity of Danube ports and Infra-& superstructure investment needs at Danube ports level (IWT/Road/Rail/Maritime).

  1. Creating the pre-requisites for further development of the Danube Transport Corridors

 The provision of high-quality, smart, efficient infrastructures and transport services for freight transfers and passenger movements are considered among the economic prerequisites for further developing regional Transport Corridors.