In Emilia-Romagna logistics is more sustainable thanks to the Eric project
A horizontal collaboration system between the main companies that carry out intermodal transport in Emilia-Romagna for advanced and sustainable logistics.
A system that, in 2019, moved 18 million tons of goods by rail with benefits for the environment and air quality, to the advantage of a territory strongly productive and linked to exports and connected to the three corridors of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T, Scandinavian-Mediterranean, Baltic-Adriatic and Mediterranean) that cross Emilia-Romagna.
It is called Eric - Emilia-Romagna Intermodal Cluster - the network born in 2018 from the agreement between the main referents of the regional intermodal system that today, after a two-year period of fruitful collaboration and good results, is renewed for another five years.
The new agreement defines the activities 2021-2025 for the collaboration among intermodal Emilia-Romagna platforms, has been signed by port system authority of the northern central Adriatic Sea, Cepim spa, Dinazzano Po spa, Interporto Bologna spa, Terminal Rubiera srl, Lotras spa, Terminali Italia srl Gruppo FS, Hupac spa and Sapir spa.
The results of the platform in 2018-2020
The volume of rail traffic of the Eric intermodal system now represents about 90% of the total operating in the Region. In recent years the Emilia-Romagna cluster has participated in international events and organized Business to Business meetings for the promotion of the regional intermodal system on the Continental European scene. In addition, Eric has created a Network Business Academy - for training and job placement in the Cluster sector and companies.
Eric's goals
Eric's members are committed to supporting the strengthening of an environmentally and economically sustainable freight transport system that has the least possible impact on the territory. To promote sustainable modes of transport and reduce the share of road transport, the cluster works to support the internationalization of companies in the European market, thus strengthening the position of the Emilia-Romagna Region as a logistics port for southern Italy and the eastern Mediterranean. Eric pursues the development of integrated intermodal services at national and European level with the aim of improving the competitiveness and accessibility of this area, crossed by three corridors of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T): the Scandinavian-Mediterranean Network, the Baltic – Adriatic and the Mediterranean.
More about rail freight transport: creating better connections with Reif project
Emilia-Romagna Region participates in the European Reif project: through an analysis of the potential of the railway network, the aim is to trace bottlenecks in infrastructures and connections and to identify environmentally friendly solutions in favour of increasing rail freight transport.
The implementation of specific pilot actions pursues the dual objective of overcoming the discontinuities of the rail network and transferring the good practices to various regional contexts.