ROMANIAN INTERMODAL ASSOCIATION – R.I.A.- Role of the Romanian Intermodal Association in Promotion of IWT Connecting through intermodality! Join us! Member of

WHAT IS R.I.A. ? The ROMANIAN INTERMODAL ASSOCIATION (R.I.A.) was founded in December 2006, upon the initiative of the Romanian Ministry of Transports, together with public authorities and private companies acting in the field of transports. The center is a professional, non-governmental and non-profit entity addressing to companies which are willing to promote the field of intermodality and its auxiliary activities.

R.I.A. OBJECTIVES to promote the intermodal/Short Sea Shipping (SSS)/Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) facilities available in Romania; to facilitate better communication between different transport companies within the intermodal chain through seminars, conferences, workshops, to identify and attract national funds for intermodal transport projects; to promote development of logistic centres and uniform training schedule for personnel involved in intermodal transports; to integrate Romanian maritime and river transport companies in the intermodal European chain; to attract relevant investments and E.U. funds for intermodal transport projects developed in Romania; to integrate Romania in the European/international network of intermodal promotion centres; to promote the Danube as one of the main “water highway” to transit goods to and from central Europe;

R.I.A. MEMBERS The National Company Maritime Ports Administration, Constanta; The National Company Administration of Navigable Canals, Constanta; The Romanian Association of Inland Owners and Ports Operators, Galati; Romanian Naval Authority, Constanta; Romanian Maritime Training Center,Constanta; Navlomar Maritime, Constanta; Focus Group Romania, Bucharest; Constanta South Container Terminal Romania Nord Marine Shipping, Constanta; The Administration of Free Zone, Giurgiu; Mainrom Line, Bucharest.

2007 Activities Setting up the office, attracting new members; Establishing contacts within EU promotion centers network (EIA, INE, Austria, France, Germany. Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Bulgaria, etc) Cooperation protocol with European Intermodal Association (signed in May 2007) and Via Donau (to be signed); Starting a web-page – Involvement in EU and national funded projects related to intermodality; Organisation of promotion events (The national seminar on the “Logistics of intermodal transports –challenges, problems and solutions”, 12 Decembrie 2007); Distribution of RIA presentation flyer.

OTHERS on 2007…..and further National funded project – with CERONAV – “Safety in intermodal transport through continuous”- training course for handling of dangerous cargoes in intermodal transport; One EU grant (DG-TREN) for a promotion project – DACIA = DAnube Corridor of Intermodal Afreightment ; 4 EU funded projects with international consortiums: PLATINA = Platform for the Implementation of NAIADES (promotion of inland navigation); EWITA II = European Webplatforms and Training Concepts for Intermodal Inland Waterway TrAnsport; RISING = RIS Services for Improving the Integration of Inland Waterway Transports into Intermodal Chains; CIPROC = Development and extension of SPC’s to Intermodal services

Safety in intermodal transport through continuous training- with CERONAV Duration : 1 year Financed by Phare 2005 OBJECTIVE: Development and delivery of professional programs for personnel working in intermodal activities in order to promote new professional competencies; ACTIVITIES: –Define the specific professional competencies and training objectives; –Elaboration of training packages (including trainer’s manual, trainee’s manual, additional training materials); –Evaluation of customers’ satisfaction and results (feedback) monitoring; –Organization of training programs according to the new course syllabi; –Development and administration of a webpage regarding the life-long learning and training in the field of intermodal transport.

PLATINA PLATINA = Platform for the Implementation of NAIADES - Communication regarding the promotion of transport on inland waterways. Starting august 2008 – 4 years Project financed under FP 7 program OBJECTIVES – P romotion of transport on inland waterways. ACTIVITIES - Dissemination of information to the industry on the evolution of IWT market; - Focal point for IWT issues; - Collecting and dissemination of best practices in IWT; - Extension of IWT promotion centers; - Elaboration of strategic agenda for implementation of IWT promotion policy.

EWITA European Web Platforms and Training Concepts for Intermodal Inland Waterway. Duration – 2 years Project financed by Marco Polo II OBJECTIVE : D issemination professional training concepts and knowledge on IWT and intermodal transport through a common learning platform ACTIVITIES: –Provision of relevant information on Romania intermodal training programs; –Translation of INeS into Romanian language to facilitate a larger access on interested students/personnel; –Creation and handling of region-specific content for INeS; –Realisation of test phase for regional content; –Project dissemination.

RISING RIS Services for Improving the Integration of Inland Waterway Transports into Intermodal Chains Duration – 3 years Project financed by FP 7 OBJECTIVE: To achieve a common RIS platform for all actors involved into IWT ACTIVITIES: –identification and integration of data and River Information Services (RIS) that can support IWT-based transport and logistic operations along Danube river; –Identification of processes, internal and external requirements, problems, challenges, validation criteria as well as existing technological solutions; –Demonstration, evaluation and validation of RIS services along Danube; –Dissemination of the RISING concept and services.

CIPROC Duration - 6 month Financed by FP 7 OBJECTIVE : development and promotion of Short Sea Shipping Promotion centers and extension of SSS services to intermodal transport ACTIVITIES: –General brochure on IMT in national and English language; –Extend newsletters; –Extending of existing RIA website; –Organisation of workshops with target groups and government analysing problems & bottlenecks; –Fact-sheets on individual countries (e.g. external trades, ports, hinterland terminals,..); –Distribution of external documents to stakeholders (e.g. documents on market developments)/information on national and EU programmes; –Establishing and maintaining a database on IMT services

DACIA - Danube Corridor for Intermodal Afreightment Financed by a EC program "Call for proposals concerning projects of common interest in the field of trans-European energy networks- Call TEN Energy 2007". Duration - 12 months OBJECTIVE: development of IWT promotion centers and promotion of intermodal transport on Danube and inland waterways ACTIVITIES: –Integration of RIA within the network the European Intermodal / IWT Promotion Centers; –Supporting Romanian authorities in implementing the European policy on transports and rising the awareness of bottlenecks in the field of Intermodal and IW transport; –Promotion of VIIth Corridor – Danube as the EC transport gate and intermodal connexions; –Evaluation of training needs for personnel involved in river intermodal transport –Validation and evaluation of pilot training

Bottlenecks in RIA activity Lack of involvement from the industry: Lack of necessary funds to support the co-financing of the projects: DACIA not signed, EWITA took over by CERONAV, RISING pending, CIPROC going forward with impediments; Reluctance to initiative; No cooperation between the parties involved in the transport chain No cooperation between various transport Associations (road, rail, river); Therefore Romanian transport industry is loosing : –The opportunity of being in close contact with transport and shipping industry across Europe and Worldwide; –The opportunity to promote their services; –The opportunity to beneficiate from the EU financing programs and others

Still, why Joining RIA?  access to professional information through the intermodal and SSS database;  Part of an European forum;  High standards in organizing promotion events;  Permanent dissemination of information on European and national projects with concern to intermodality and SSS;  Contact point for European and national financing projects and programs;  Support in promotion of their activity.

CONCLUSION THE STRENGTH OF ANY ASSOCIATION IS IN THE QUALITY AND INVOLVEMENT OF IT’S MEMBERS. MANY GOOD THINGS CAN BE ACHIEVED BY USING RIA AS A LEADING VEHICLE, BUT TO DO THIS, WE NEED YOUR INVOLVEMENT !

Constanta Port, Gate 2 Building “Bursa Noua” Floor 1, Room 125, Constanta, , Romania Tel: , Fax: THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Nicoleta Apostol – RIA, Danube Summit – June 2008 Constanta Port, Gate 2 Building “Bursa Noua” Floor 1, Room 125, Constanta, , Romania Tel: , Fax: THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Nicoleta Apostol – RIA, Danube Summit – June