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VTT takes part in opening South American logistics bottlenecks

17.08.2010

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and three other European research organisations are currently improving freight transport in South American countries through the EU-funded Enable project. The success of the project would lower freight transport costs and boost goods flows between Europe and South America. The project is based on deployment of European know-how to the South American freight transport system.

The aim of the Enable project is to develop the transport of goods between the EU and South America. The project is improving relations between the EU and South America in the form of exchange of knowledge and expertise and an increased number of trade relations. A further aim is to create a South American freight transport system that accords with sustainable development. The project focuses particularly on investigating joint use of intermodal transport in Brazil and Argentina.

South American freight transport hubs and routes are congested. The development of transport systems is being demanded by South America’s rapidly developing economy, in order to respond to the growing capacity needs for freight transport. Improved logistics in South America will make the transport of goods more cost-efficient, with a knock-on effect on product prices in consumer markets.

Exploitation of previous EU research results on South American markets is offering South American countries a development short-cut with regard to their own logistics systems.

The Enable project deploys the best European practices and innovations to the South American freight transport system. By helping to identify development targets in the South American logistics system, the project is seeking to develop local operating practices with the aid of EU funding.

The Enable project fosters contacts in business life and public administration between the EU and South America. Research results can be applied to companies, cooperation among transport sector stakeholders, and decision-making by the authorities. The project also serves as a platform for establishing future connections. Over the long term, logistics development in South American countries will increase trade between the EU and South America, while the aim will also be to exploit similar logistics research projects in other areas.

Coordinator of the Enable project is the Greek organisation Centre for Research and Technology Hellas - Hellenic Institute of Transport (CERTH/HIT). In addition to VTT, five other research organisations from the EU and South America are also participating in the project. The EU is the principal funder for this research project. The Enable project is set to run for a further year.

More on the Enable project is available at: http://www.enable-project.net/