Professional paper
IMPORTANCE OF SHORT SEA SHIPPING AND SEA MOTORWAYS IN THE EUROPEAN AND SLOVENIAN TRANSPORT POLICY
Bojan Beškovnik
Abstract
The scope of this article is to provide a sound description of short sea shipping and motorways of the sea as an innovative method aimed at shifting the increased road traffic to sea transpor as an alternative method of transport. The shifting of cargo to other traffic routes is the result of the improvements made in port services, in the colleration and cooperation between ports and with the further development of inland waterways should help to reduce the road transport on the congested European transport network. Short sea shipping represents a very good alternative to road transport and it is an environmentally accepted service as it gives a contribution to the decongestion of the European motorways and to the reduction of air pollution and energy consumption.
The creation of a sea motorway network is an excellent support to the short sea shipping. The implementation of sea motorways in the European Union might provide new opportunities for the regional development and for the development of the East Mediterranean countries. Slovenia and Croatia included, should take advantage of this concept. The European sea motorway network is still on a planning level, but the target of the European Commission is to have a complete network of sea motorways spread around Europe by the end of the year 2010.
The infrastructure and equipment that support an efficient, rapid and low cost cargo shifting procedures in the East Mediterranean is a poor one. Therefore, major investments have to be made for the introduction of sea motorways. Leading an active transport policy all countries in the region, including Slovenia and Croatia, should benefit from the the introduction of this well-developed concept of sea motorways and short sea shipping.
Keywords
short sea shipping; sea motorways; ports; inland waterways transport
Hrčak ID:
4004
URI
Publication date:
29.6.2006.
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