NECL II in short  Budget: approx. 2,7 M€  Duration:  Partnership: 22 partners from Sweden, Norway and Finland - Leadpartner: County Administrative Board of Västernorrland 

Objectives:  to develop and promote the east-west Midnordic Transport Corridor, by improving roads, railways and intermodal solutions in the corridor, and by developing an ICT system for optimization of goods transport in the corridor.  to show the possibilities, potential and benefits of the Midnordic Transport Corridor to business actors, decision makers and other related actors.  removing goods from roads to railway and sea will contribute sustainability – the goal is a sustainable, environmentally friendly Midnordic Green corridor. 

Objectives..  Close cooperation with national transport authorities and industry and other related projects.  Remove bottlenecks from the corridor.  Improvements in infrastructure, hopefully regional and national funds for the future.  Transnational cooperation between Midnordic regions, and connections to UK, continental Europe/BSR and Russia/Asia  Well-functioning communications and cost-effective transport solutions are crucial for business life & local industries  Promoting the corridor to business life.  A fully working operational ICT-system for transport operators and cargo owners.

Partnership:  22 Partners representing eg. Transport Authorities, County Councils and County Administrative Boards in Sweden, Regional Councils in Finland, Fylken in Norway, Mid Sweden University, municipalities in all countries, the non- profit organization Midnordic Committe.  And important associated partners! National transport agencies in Norway, Sweden and Finland, Chambers of commerce; North East Cargo Link Alliance (NECLA); Nordic Council of Ministers.

Background During NECL I ( ) a "Strategy for North East Cargo Link" was formed, containing measures for the elimination of bottlenecks and missing links in the transport infrastructure, as well as improvements in the intermodality by establishment of combi-terminals on suitable locations in the Midnordic Corridor.

Workpackages and coordinators:  WP1 Administration, Responsible partner: Leadpartner Västernorrland  WP2 Communication, Regional Council of Central Finland  WP3 Improvements of transport infrastructure, Leadpartner Västernorrland  WP4 Transportation and Logistics, Midnordic Committe  WP5 Logistic ICT solution for transport matching, Mid Sweden University

WP3 Improvements of transport infrastructure  Improvements of railways, roads and harbours and the intermodality - unbalanced rail infrastructure - the lack of close connections between sea and rail and intermodal nodes.  Bottlenecks have to be removed through reconstructions and investments, also limitations in interoperability between the separate countries in national rail systems.  Development of new and existing combiterminals at suitable places in the corridor.

WP3 Examples of activities General studies:  A regional economic study - illustrating the effects on society and regional development of investments removing flagrant bottlenecks in the transport infrastructure.  Preparatory studies and feasibility studies for investments in eliminating bottlenecks for goods transports on roads.  Preparatory study for investments for railway yard constructions.  Preparatory study for special transports. Specific studies in Norway, Sweden, Finland  The Meråker Line and E14 (in Norway)  Improvements of transport infrastructure for preparation of investments on E14 (in Sweden including Östersund)  Improving connections between railways and ports of Sundsvall, Timrå and Härnösand.  Studies, investigations and preliminary engineering for main road 18 between Multia and Ähtäri and accessing regional road 621 (Central Finland)

WP4 Transportation and Logistics  To promote business and trade by the development and implementation of effective transport solutions.  Business actions and activities to develop complete logistic concepts for transportation of various types of goods to and from Russia and Asia and to other global markets in the West.  To support sustainable cost-effective transport solutions - by both the establishment of new transport concepts and by regular cargo ships.

WP4 Examples of activities  Analysis of potential revenues, cargo flows and goods volumes  Business Plan of shipping company/cargo liner between Sundsvall Ports Region and port of Kaskinen - City of Kaskinen/Finland  Identification and description of three selected cargo supply chains along the Midnordic corridor from origin to end-user  Analysis of issues and practices related to intermodality problems between sea and land corridors as well as cross-border problems.  A transnational Action Plan (a joint output of all efforts to eliminate bottlenecks within the Mid Nordic Region)

WP5 Logistic ICT solution for transport matching  To transform an existing ICT - prototype to a fully operating transport matching system.  will focus on decreasing the big volume of empty or partially loaded transports of today.  Working in the daily operations at freight managers and logistic centers, for instance ports. Eg.

Contacts and further information  Project Manager & WP3-leader: Per-Åke Hultstedt:  Financial Manager: Johanna Bergman,  Communication Manager: Virpi Heikkinen,  WP4-leader: Jon Hillgren,  WP5-leader: Leif Olsson, 