Sustainable freight gateways

Weastflows case study: 02

Sustainable freight gateways

Foynes Port, Limerick

As an important centre for the import and export of goods in

It is at the heart of the region and is an important contributor to the

a city or region, freight gateways or logistics hubs provide a key

national economy. As well as this gateway, the following areas were

economic contribution to their local region and beyond. They

developed and used as test beds through this project:

support the development of local trade, connect the port with

• Liverpool-Manchester ‘Atlantic’ Gateway

the regional hinterland and enable global freight connections.

• London-Thames Gateway

By applying more sustainable practices to freight logistics

• Luxembourg Gateway

movements, a freight gateway can become more sustainable

• Seine Gateway®

and efficient, whilst remaining competitive.

To acknowledge and accredit sustainable freight gateway cities and Weastflows partner, Limerick City & County Council (LCCC) has

regions, a new sustainable freight gateway (SFG) label and quality

developed a best practice model for existing freight gateways to

mark for the sector has been developed. This mark will help ensure

become as sustainable and efficient as possible. LCCC has also

commitment from businesses and organisations to be involved in

created a toolkit to help gateway regions improve freight logistics

a continuous improvement programme. Each year, businesses will

operations. Approaches to help gain the commitment of the freight

demonstrate how they are embedding sustainability practices and

logistics industry have also been explored through enhanced

changes into their decision making process and logistics operations.

stakeholder engagement and consultation.

Over time, with a number of businesses and organisations signed The Limerick-Shannon freight gateway on the west coast of Ireland

up and committed to change, more efficient and sustainable

is a strategic export base and logistics hub characterised by the deep

decisions will be made at an operator level. This will help develop

waters of the Shannon Estuary and Shannon International Airport.

more efficient and sustainable gateways, and support their contributions to help meet Europe’s 2020 emission targets.

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Sustainable freight gateways

Sustainable Freight Gateway (SFG) mark

SFG mark on vehicle

SFG mark on air freight

Transnational engagement

Lessons and recommendations

A questionnaire enabled Weastflows

• The issues and challenges faced by

partners to feed into the best practice

freight gateways were quite similar across

model, ensuring that a wide scope

the Weastflows partnership despite

of experience was included. At three

differences in infrastructure, location and

workshops across North West Europe

scale. For example, all regions include a

(NWE), stakeholders were presented with

range of stakeholders from all sectors,

the toolkit and mark, which tested and

which require a strong governance

validated the industry’s views on this

structure and effective stakeholder

emerging business model. The knowledge gained from this process was shared with

engagement.

• The need to establish strong effective

partners and relevant stakeholders from

governance structures, such as freight

across NWE to encourage other gateways

forums, at a regional level to give

to look at this grassroots approach to

cross-sector representation was a central

gateway development.

finding of the project. Forums should be established by business for business, for

Results and benefits

example Chambers of Commerce taking

Through a review of all gateway test beds,

a leading role in their establishment and

LCCC also identified unique components

management, with a mix of users and

for each gateway, and sought to exploit

enablers. The forum would provide a

synergies between them. The review showed

platform for competitors to talk, network,

that a strong governance structure, effective

collaborate and create new innovative

stakeholder engagement and ownership

products and services for the sector, as

at a local level, along with well-developed

well as improving the attractiveness of

operational efficiency and financial viability,

the gateway as a freight and logistics

were key considerations.

hub. The Limerick-Shannon freight gateway has already established a freight

Other important factors included

forum – the first of its kind in Ireland.

socio-economic impacts, environmental

• LCCC recommends that gateways identify

quality, infrastructure and accessibility

an agency, which manages and supports

and the need to apply a continuous

the launch and implementation of the

improvement programme of change at

sustainable freight gateway branding in

an operator level to support the industry

the region. It is important to examine the

in meeting EU 2020 targets.

existing governance structure, if any, and how stakeholders are best engaged and supported.

Weastflows (west and east freight flows) – an INTERREG IVB North West Europe (NWE) project funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) – aimed to improve and enhance freight logistics across a west-east axis in the NWE region. The project brought together experts from all sectors of the freight transport industry to work towards connecting supply chains in the region with the wider freight network across the rest of Europe and Asia. Through a combination of freight mapping, innovative technology and a drive to promote sustainable logistics, Weastflows has worked to generate a step-change in the industry. This helps deliver economic, social and environmental benefits to both communities and businesses across the region.

Lead partners • CRITT Transport et Logistique (FR) • Institute for Sustainability (UK) Partners • Agence d’Urbanisme de la Région du Havre et de l’Estuaire de la Seine (AURH) (FR) • Beter Bereikbaar Zuidoost-Brabant (BBZOB) (NL) • Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM) (NL) • Centre for Quantitative Methods (CQM) (NL) • Communication and Tracking Services (CTS) (FR) • InforIT (NL) • Institut du Droit International des Transports (IDIT) (FR) • Intermodality (UK) • Irish Exporters Association (IEA) (IE) • Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) (IE) • Liverpool John Moores University (LOOM) (UK) • Logistique Seine-Normandie (LSN) (FR) • Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) (LU) • Mobycon (NL) • Portsmouth International Port (UK) • South East Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStran) (UK) • Transports Terrestres Promotion Northern France (i-Trans) (FR) • Universität Duisburg-Essen (UNI-DUE) (DE) • University of Science and Technology of Lille (USTL-LAGIS) (FR) • Verband Region Rhein-Neckar (VRRN) (DE)

For further information, please contact: Institute for Sustainability 49-51 East Road, London N1 6AH, UK T: +44 (0) 20 7517 1830 E: info@instituteforsustainability.org.uk www.weastflows.eu

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