23-26 April, 2012 Athens – Greece Sustainable Mobility through Innovation
TRA2012 NEWSLETTER (no. 3– February 2012)
	TRA2012: Learn all about transport innovation and R&D trends over 3 days of 13 high-level sessions If you are a transport stakeholder looking to spend your limited available time in the most effective way, TRA2012 is your "one-stop shop". Delegates will be able to attend an exceptional programme of unique Strategic Sessions on the current key issues facing transport in Europe, as well as to network in a welcoming environment for only three days in Athens in the spring. TRA2012 is definitely the place to be. Read more
	Waterborne supports TRA2012 with high-level participation The European Technology Platform (ETP) WATERBORNE is delighted to participate in TRA2012 with high-level participants. WATERBORNE Chairman Willem Laros (pictured left) and Meyer Werft CEO Bernard Meyer will take an active role in the Opening and Plenary Sessions. The ETP's annual student competition, Vision Olympics, for innovative maritime product ideas, has found a unique home for its award ceremony during the first morning of TRA2012. Read more
	Programme of 34 Special Sessions really taking shape The programme of Special Sessions consists of 34 sessions, each lasting 75 minutes, covering 12 cross-cutting topics of relevance to all modes, as well as topics of relevance to each specific transport mode. This programme consists of a series of sessions and meetings organised by national, European and international bodies, federations, associations, EU projects and initiatives, professional institutes and unions. Read more
	Register before 23rd February– airline discount available! The early-bird online registration for TRA2012 has been extended to 23rd February 2012. Register quickly and take advantage of the cheaper rate for this high-level, absorbing and interactive conference! Click here to register and here for more registration details. The Star Alliance Official Airline Network is also offering discounted fares for delegates and guests. Read more about this and other aspects of the social programme.
www.traconference.eu

TRA 2012: learn all about transport innovation and R&D trends in Europe over 3 days of 13 high-level sessions

If you are a transport stakeholder looking to spend your limited available time in the most effective way, TRA2012 is your "one-stop shop". Delegates will be able to attend an exceptional programme of unique Strategic Sessions on the current key issues facing transport in Europe, as well as to network in a welcoming environment for only three days in Athens in the spring. TRA2012 is definitely the place to be.

Chaired by well-known personalities from industry, research and the European institutions, the 13 Strategic Sessions of TRA2012 are forums that offer the best European experts from all sectors and modes of transport the opportunity to present their views on how sustainable mobility will be developed in the years to come and the importance of innovation in this process. Delegates will have the opportunity to debate and interact with the speakers on these views.

The sessions offer a diverse range of topics both in support of TRA2012's overall cross-sector/multi-modal objectives and specific to each of the five partners (the European Commission, CEDR, ERTRAC, ERRAC, Waterborne).

Whether you are interested in:

• Electrification of road transport or intelligent transport systems
• Transport safety and user satisfaction

or:

• Competitiveness of waterborne industries
• Efficient interoperable railways
• Intermodal freight and logistics

and also in:

• Sustainable mobility in cities for passengers
• Renewal of transport infrastructure

or even in:

• Cooperation of international, EU, national and regional R&D programmes

and more globally in innovation in transport in general………
………..the programme of Strategic Sessions at TRA2012 will satisfy your needs and expectations.

See the detailed programme with names of chairs and high-level invited speakers at:
http://www.traconference.eu/Strategic-Sessions/strategic-sessions.html.

Read more about the overall programme and Opening/Plenary/Closing Sessions at:
http://www.traconference.eu/conference-programme.html.

Waterborne supports TRA2012 with high-level participation

The European Technology Platform (ETP) WATERBORNE is delighted to participate in TRA2012 with high-level participants. WATERBORNE Chairman Willem Laros (pictured left) and Meyer Werft CEO Bernard Meyer will take an active role in the Opening and Plenary Sessions. The ETP's annual student competition, Vision Olympics, for innovative maritime product ideas, has found a unique home for its award ceremony during the first morning of TRA2012.

Launched in 2005 at the Maritime Industries Forum (MIF) Plenary, WATERBORNE brings together the maritime industry, the 27 EU member states, some non-EU states and the European Commission (EC). In February 2006, the ETP WATERBORNE published its vision on the major challenges confronting the European maritime industry, under the title 'Vision 2020', followed shortly afterwards by the WATERBORNE Strategic Research Agenda (WSRA), presenting the key Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) priorities to achieve the Vision 2020.

It is impossible to imagine today's Europe without waterborne transport and its related operations. Waterborne industries underpin our way of living by facilitating the supply of goods, food and energy, as well as personal mobility and leisure on the water. Almost every maritime invention was made in Europe. About three million people work directly in the European waterborne sectors generating a turnover of about €200 billion with an added value totaling about €90 billion (more than 1% of the EU's GDP).

Although covering very diverse activities, the waterborne stakeholders discovered that joining forces for R&D is the more promising strategy, confirming the goal of the ETPs: to secure and strengthen European competitiveness in dynamic world markets. The key priorities for RDI contained in the WSRA are structured along the lines of the three pillars of Waterborne Vision 2020.

Maritime industry is continuously implementing the ambitious agenda. To this extent, WATERBORNE completed, in February 2008, its WSRA Implementation Route Map (WIRM), its guideline document to concretely implement the WSRA and achieve the Vision 2020 targets. Companies have to invest continuously in RDI supported by member states and the EU supplementing that effort in addressing the right issues within their research programmes.

Having worked at a very fast pace, WATERBORNE continues its efforts to implement its WIRM as a guideline for the sector's long-term R&D, not only towards the Framework Programmes of the European Commission but more and more towards R&D programmes at member state level.

Further, it is the ETP's belief that closer co-operation between the science communities of the maritime and marine world will present opportunities for both groups of stakeholders and steps are being taken to investigate ways forward. This also means that WATERBORNE will explore other areas of maritime industrial activities like sustainable energy from the seas and the impact of climate change.

The next challenge ahead is the HORIZON 2020 for which the ETP is preparing a coordinated action along the policy drivers established in the so-called WATERBORNE Declaration issued in mid-2011. The platform is on the right track and will continue to strengthen the European maritime industry through excellence in RDI.

Willem Laros, Chairman ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
Lanfranco Benedetti, Secretariat of the ETP WATERBORNE ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
Community of European Shipyards' Associations
http://www.waterborne-tp.org
http://www.cesa.eu

Programme of 34 Special Sessions really taking shape

The programme of Special Sessions consists of 34 sessions, each lasting 75 minutes, covering 12 cross-cutting topics of relevance to all modes, as well as topics of relevance to each specific transport mode (see below). This programme consists of a series of sessions and meetings organised by national, European and international bodies, federations, associations, EU projects and initiatives, professional institutes and unions. The Session format is defined by the organising party; it can be either in the form of oral presentations, workshops or panel discussions. Sessions are open to all conference participants and Session Chairs, speakers and audience need to pay the TRA2012 registration fee.

Cross-modal topics include:

• Transport planning and traffic information systems in cities
• Sustainable Mobility in Action with CIVITAS
• Measuring Carbon Footprint of Freight Transport Chains
• Transport, NMP and ICT NCP Networks join forces
• New solutions for sustainable distribution of freight in Urban Areas
• Green corridors in Europe
• Mid- and long-term strategy to implement ITS technologies for strategic traffic management and Integrated approach to achieve higher traffic safety in the city
• Public Private Partnerships for Transport Infrastructure: Theory & Practice
• Research and Innovation Policies to enhance uptake of Sustainable Transport Solutions
• Developing the European Transport Research Alliance (DETRA)
• Sustainable mobility in Latin America
• Gender Issues in Transportation
• ICT for sustainable logistics: best practices and roadmap to 2020

Road-related topics are as follows:

• iMobility Forum Research & Innovation Recommendations 2011-2020
• Change to Survive: Transport Technologies and Land Use Planning for Europe Global Competition
• Implementation paths for the European Road-Transport Electrification - Contribution of CAPIRE
• Development of the European Road Safety Observatory - The DaCoTA project
• Enhanced Environment Perception and results of Field Operational Tests of Active Safety Systems
• FOTsis: Cooperative Systems deployment from the Road Operators point of view
• The Talent Challenge in Electro Mobility
• "SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study: Vehicle, Driver, and Roadway Data"
• Automated driving
• The Bus system of the Future: how will it will look like?
• Debate between the most important Greek Road concessionaires
• Safety of Vulnerable Road Users (VRU's)

Rail-related topics include:

• Reuse of abandoned railway lines as a sustainable transportation option and regional development engine: planning, policies and technical proposals.
• Cost-effective improvement of rail transport infrastructure
• Innovation and research for a more competitive European rail sector, challenges and solutions for Horizon 2020
• New perspectives in transport research in Turkey - The Rail sector
• ERRAC Roadmaps

Waterborne-specific topics cover:

• STREAMLINE FP7 Project – Strategic Research for Innovative Marine Propulsion Concepts
• Trends in Maritime Logistics and Port Operations
• Presentation of the EC EXTREME SEAS Project
• Pose2idon: Greener Merchant Shipping

Session organisers are in the process of giving more details on their session, moderator and speakers.
See http://www.traconference.eu/special-session.html for more information.
Read more about the overall programme and Opening/Plenary/Closing sessions at:
http://www.traconference.eu/conference-programme.html.

Register before 23rd February– airline discount available!

The early-bird online registration for TRA2012 has been extended to 23rd February 2012. Register quickly and take advantage quickly of the cheaper rate for this high-level, absorbing and interactive conference! Click here to register and here for more registration details. The Star Alliance Official Airline Network is also offering discounted fares for delegates and guests. Read more about this and other aspects of the social programme.

Get a reduction on your airfare from the Star Alliance Conventions Plus Programme
The Star Alliance Official Airline Network is also offering discounted fares for delegates and guests who can benefit from the “Convention Plus” Programme, which will be available on the TRA2012 website by 18th February 2012. The Star Alliance Participating Carriers that participate in the Conventions Plus Program will be offering special Conventions Plus Delegate Fare Discounts.

Athens Spotlighted programme gives discounts to TRA2012 delegates
TThe "athenspotlighted' programme is offered free of charge to all foreign passengers arriving in Athens. The specific programme is an initiative of Athens International Airport with the support of the city guide magazine "Athinorama". Through "athenspotlighted", programme participants are provided with a free discount city card which can be used at various cultural sites, museums, art galleries, restaurants, and a wide variety of selected stores all over Athens (see http://www.athenspotlighted.gr). Participants that wish to make use of the card should contact the TRA Booking Office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and the card will be delivered to their room (for those participants that have booked a room at the official congress satellite hotels). Otherwise, you can collect your card upon your arrival at Megaron Athens International Conference Center (MAICC) at the Congress Secretariat Desk, which will be located at the main entrance of the Conference Venue (Trianti Level). The card is valid for 10 days.

SOCIAL PROGRAMME

During the conference, participants also will have the opportunity to take part in a rich social
programme which includes:

Welcome Reception
April 23rd 2012, Megaron Athens International Conference Center

Gala Dinner
April 24th 2012, New Acropolis Museum Restaurant

Farewell Reception
April 25th 2012, Aegli Zappeiou

All social events are free of charge for TRA2012 participants except for the Gala Dinner, which costs
€150 per person and includes a guided tour of the New Acropolis Museum, cocktail and dinner.

Important Note: Seats for the Gala Dinner are limited and will be confirmed on a first-come-first served basis.

Read more about the overall programme and Opening/Plenary/Closing sessions at:
http://www.traconference.eu/conference-programme.html