Press release: Where does Combined Transport stand today? 19/07/24

The UIRR Report 2023-24 together with its statistics supplement has been published on the website of UIRR [1].

The report provides an insight into the year of the UIRR community of Combined Transport operators, terminal managers, technology partners and MoU peers.

The focus topics are:

• Rail freight quality
• Intermodal transport and
• Digital transformation.

The research projects and the state of the mostly digital services offered by UIRR can also be found in the Report alongside a summary of the CT4EU Campaign and the year of the association, as well as the statistical data of the 2023 annual performance that brought about a contraction of -10,57%.

2023 produced several new crises in transport, such as war-related impacts on maritime shipping, disturbances caused by excessive infrastructure works, as well as disruptions caused by strike actions and extreme weather phenomena. At the same time, none of the previous crises have been solved. Therefore, UIRR had and will have to continuously engage in crisis management.

UIRR Chairman, Michail Stahlhut, opined: “Door-to-door Combined Transport’s contribution to the competitiveness of the European economy, delivered through its superior labour-, energy-, infrastructure- and environmental- efficiency, will be recognised by policymakers. A resilient European economy will need much more Combined Transport.”

UIRR Vice-Chairman, Jürgen Albersmann, added: “The UIRR Community chose to reinforce the association by electing a new Board of Directors that will use facts and figures to inform and convince both the European and the national decisionmakers about the immediate contribution that Combined Transport can make during the coming years.”

Europe’s need for more competitiveness and greater resilience presents a challenge for every sector of the economy, including Combined Transport. The solution must come through more standardisation and a higher level of harmonised digitalisation, supported by a broader range of more effective digital services. This will have to be complemented by a better performing regulatory framework for the Single European Railway Area and for the Combined Transport sector. The second phase of the CT4EU campaign will be initiated soon to accompany efficiently the ongoing legislative dossiers.

[1] https://www.uirr.com/en/media-centre/annual-reports/annual-reports/mediacentre/2922-uirr-annual-report-2023-24.html

Ralf-Charley Schultze,

Director General

“UIRR has been working hard together with its members for the European Combined Transport community throughout 2023. The association will do its best to return Combined Transport to the growth path and a better productivity that are necessary to fulfil its role in achieving the policy objectives of the 27 Member States of the European Union.