MONDAY, 23 APRIL 2012
14:30 - 15:45

STS1: Innovation in Transport: new trends from the EU

To respond to future challenges in transport and achieve public policy goals such as the reduction of oil dependence and the cut of CO2 emissions set in the new Transport White Paper, Europe must develop better synergies between research and innovation. Parallel to developing competitiveness and efficiency, research and innovation activities carried out in Europe will have to encourage paradigm shifts within the existing transport systems. To engage in the current challenges, efforts are needed to coordinate the activities in the transport innovation chain in order to ensure deployment of innovative solutions.  Horizon 2020 is expected to play an important role in this context. This new instrument, which brings together the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP), the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) and the European Institute of technology (EIT), will also address the key transport technologies identified in the Strategic Transport Technology Plan (STTP), a follow up initiative to the 2011 Transport White Paper. Policy instruments will certainly play their part in innovation, but there are other essential contributors such as the availability of research and innovation risk capital through financing engineering and the support for a web of dynamic and high tech transport SMEs. This session will give the forum the opportunity to address all these issues.

Session Chair: Mr. Liam Breslin, European Commission, DG RTD, Head of the Surface Transport Unit &

Mr. Paul Verhoef, European Commission, DG MOVE, Head of the Research & Innovative Transport Systems Unit

Key note speeches:

1.   The Strategic Transport Technology Plan (STTP) in support to the Transport White Paper: Mr. Fotis Karamitsos, European Commission, DG Mobility & Transport, Acting Director - Directorate C (Innovation & Sustainable mobility)

2.    Horizon 2020 - implementation of the Innovation Union in Transport: Mr. Andras Siegler, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation, Director (Directorate H - Transport)

Pannel Discussion:

3.    Research and Innovation activities - The role of the JRC: Mr. Giovanni de Santi Director - Institute for Energy and Transport, Joint Research Centre (European Commission)

4. Mr. Patrick Mallejacq, IFSTTAR Director for European and International Affairs (Institut Français des Sciences et Technologies des Transports, de l'Aménagement et des Réseaux)

5. Mr. Simon Godwin, Director of EUCAR (European Council for Automotive R&D)

STS2: Rail Vision for the Future

The EC 2011 transport White Paper “Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system” has as one of its most clear objectives the encouragement of modal shift toward rail for both freight and passenger use. This objective poses a critical challenge but also a unique opportunity for the rail industry.
Innovation, research, ambition, forward thinking and consensus between all stakeholders will be essential to deliver such modal shift, in particular to address issues such as:
•    Increase in capacity required to absorb significantly higher expected demand levels;
•    Developing and maintaining competitiveness;
•    Meeting customer expectations;
•    Delivering value for money services;
The European Rail Research Advisory Council (ERRAC) has put together a series of roadmaps to meet the challenges identified in the Strategic Rail Agenda (SRA) of 2007. ERRAC has recently put the final touches to a new strategic document outlining the railway vision for 2050.

Session Chair: Prof. Mark Robinson, Newcastle University

Invited Speakers:

1. Mr. Yves Amsler, Secretary General's Projects & Development Advisor, UITP

2. Mr. Josef Doppelbauer, Vice President Project Management and Chief Technical Officer, Bombardier Transportation

3. Prof. Andrew Mc Naughton, Technical Director of High Speed Two Ltd and ERRAC Chairman
4. Mr. Jerzy Wisniewski, Director – UIC
5. Mr. Eric Fontanel, General Manager – UNIFE (TBC)

STS3: Infrastructure for the 21st century

This strategic session will discuss steps for transport infrastructure renewal that need to be taken until 2025-2030 to achieve an intermediate milestone towards 2050, when an affordable and advanced European mobility network needs to be achieved. Innovative approaches are needed based on governance and business models that allow comparison and evaluation of due investments (supply side) and price/performance (demand side).

Session Chair: Dr. Hans Jeekel, Rijkswaterstaat

Invited Speakers:

1. Mr.ing.J. H. Dronkers, Director General RijkswaterstaatDr.
2. Mr. Christian Piehler, Director TransportGerman Aerospace Centre (DLR)
3. Mrs. M. Brandtsegg, Director Innovation  Statens Vegvesen
4. Mr. Graham Dalton, Chief Executive Highways Agency
5. Dr. M. Fastenbauer, Via Donau- Osterreichische Wasserstrassen Gesellschaft mbH
6. Mr. Claude Van Rooten, Director general, BRRC

TUESDAY, 24 APRIL 2012

11:00 - 12: 15

STS4:  Cooperation of European, national and regional programmes in surface transport

Community research plays an important role in establishing new types of cooperation between trans-national partnerships and complementarities of skills but community research only represents a small proportion of research investments in Europe (less that 5%). Reinforced cooperation between national and regional research schemes will be the only way to increase the efficiency of research investments avoiding duplications, reaching critical mass and enabling harmonisation of technical solutions and standards. In recent years, important steps have been taken with the introduction of ERANETs, ERANET+ and Joint Programming. A good illustration of what needs to be achieved is given by the ERANET + on "electromobility". Efforts need to be pursued in the years to come.

Session Chair: Mr. Sean O'Reagain, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation, Deputy Head of the Joint Programming Unit & Alexandra Gurau, European Commission

Invited Speakers:

1. Mr. Oliver Althoff, TÜV Rheinland Consulting GmbH (Germany), coordinator of ERA-NET TRANSPORT

2. Dr. Jonas Eliasson, Centre for Transport Studies, The Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden), coordinator of SURPRICE

3. Mr. Bernard Duhem, Ministère de l'Ecologie, du Développement durable, des Transports et du Logement, Secrétaire permanent du PREDIT

4. Mr. Jon Bernodusson, Icelandic Maritime Administration, MARTEC

5. Mr. Frederic Sgarbi, Surface Transport, DG RTD, European Commission, Head of Unit Surface Transport

STS5:  Efficient Services for Intermodal Freight Transport and Logistics

This session will investigate the various ways in which integration of freight transport and logistics services may be achieved, the innovative intermodal facilities required, and the extent to which various aspects of intermodal integration may be used towards efficiency and more sustainable freight distribution. Discussion on Intermodal freight and logistics will include innovations, integration of services, technologies and efficiency aspects.
More precisely, this session will look into following topics :
- What is the state of the art ? What data and indicators are available or should be developed to monitor the evolution ?
- How could efficiency at intermodal platforms be improved ? Can innovative transhipment platforms or systems be identified ? What is their role for the consolidation of freight volumes ? How could synergies with local territories be used ? What innovations for cargo handling at hubs ?
- The particular case of maritime transport : how could we improve interfaces between ports and their hinterland ? What is the role of motorways of the sea ?
- What can ICT (information systems, RFID, …) bring to intermodal transport ? In particular, what are their possibilities for an improvement of planning, but also real-time management of the fleet and the network ?
- What are the key bottlenecks to overcome to develop intermodal transport in organisational terms ? How should change towards efficient intermodal transport be managed ?
- What is the role of weight and dimensions in this debate ? The European Commission is now investigating some up-dates of the Directive 96/53EC on heavy road vehicles weights and dimensions, published in 1996. The aim is to improve the heavy good vehicles efficiency, to reduce their environmental impact and to facilitate the intermodality of freight transport. Therefore, some provisions on the total vehicle length could be given for aerodynamic devices and 45 ft containers used in short sea and waterborne transport. The impact of such modification on the freight transport efficiency and the intermodal operations will be discussed.
- What possibilities are offered by financial incentives, such as dynamic price settings ?

Session Chair:
Ms. Fleur Breuillin, European Commission, D.1 Maritime transport & logistics

Invited Speakers:
1. Mr. Bernard Jacob, Scientific Deputy Director for Transport Infrastructures and Safety, IFSTTAR (French Institut for Sciences and Technologies on Transports, Development and Networks)
2. Ms. Christiane Geiger, senior researcher, ITL Institute of Transport Logistics, TU Dortmund University
3. Dr. Georgia Aifadopoulou, Head of Unit “Intelligent Infrastructure & Demand Management”, CERTH / HIT (Centre for Research and Technology Hellas / Hellenic Institute of Transport)
4. Prof. Harilaos Psaraftis, Professor of Maritime Transport, NTUA (National Technical University of Athens)
5. Mr Patrick Verhoeven, Secretary General, ESPO – to be confirmed
6. Mr Jose Garcia de la Guia, Autoridad Portuaria de Valencia, coordinator of the project MOS4MOS - tbc
Agenda

STS6: Sustainable mobility in cities for passengers

Sustainable urban mobility is a key to better serve the needs of local citizen in their daily life. It is also a challenge for every city in a competitive economy at the regional, national, European and worldwide levels, depending on the size of the city.
Urban mobility should evolve towards greater efficiency. For this purpose, the potential of the most efficient modes of transport - efficient first in terms of energy and space consumption, but also in many other fields like safety or social integration - should be fully exploited in a complementary way. This leads to favor the development of cleaner vehicles and of innovative technologies, especially new technologies of information and communication. This also, and above all, calls for the development of attractive public transport, to be accompanied by an improved integration between public transport modes, a better coordination between public transport and private car usage, and a strong support to non-motorized modes (cycling, walking…).
Sustainable urban mobility also requires that priorities are given over decades to measures supporting greater accessibility in the urban environment and reducing the dependency on private car use in cities, which have to be prepared by relevant technical and socio-economic research. These measures cover domains which are not only related to transport, but also to land use, institutional coordination, regulatory and fiscal policy.
The strategic session allows for a debate between representatives of public authorities, public transport operators, planners and Intelligent Transport stakeholders.

Session Chair: Mr. Sylvain Haon, Secretary General of POLIS

Invited Speakers:

1. Mr. Tony Depledge, ARRIVA PLC, Director of Transport Policy, Chairman of the UITP EU-Committee    
2. Mr. Jarl Eliassen, Trafikanten AS, Norway
3. Ms. Daniela Rosca, European Commission, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), Clean transport & sustainable urban mobility
4. Mr. Michael Glotz-Richter, Transport attaché of the City of Bremen, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Senate Department for Environment, Construction, Transport and Europe

TUESDAY, 24 APRIL 2012

15:30 - 16:45

STS7: Intelligent Transportation in a Connected Society

Over the last years, technological progress has focused primarily on the vehicle and its features. Automobile manufacturers have launched cars that are increasingly equipped with devices that make them safer, smarter and easier to drive. The “connected vehicle” has opened up a new dimension of mobility. This “open” vehicle enables the occupants to communicate in real-time with the outside world. The notion of connected vehicle is not restricted to the automobile but encompasses all means of transport. Connected mobility using cooperative systems will extend the driver's horizon and enable a whole range of new services, taking a big step towards improving safety, enhancing energy efficiency and providing accessibility and reliability for moving people and goods on our transport system. An efficient connected mobility can only be achieved by connecting travellers, connecting cars, or cars and roadside traffic management systems, connecting public transport and connecting transport modes.
By bringing together transport experts, authorities, researchers, service providers and other stakeholders in this session, we have an opportunity to exchange ideas on how to improve our transport system to contribute to a new era of transportation, creating a sustainable mobility system and contributing to a connected society.

Session Chair: Mr. Paul Kompfer, ERTICO

Invited Speakers:

1. Mr. Juhani Jaaskelåinen, Head of Unit ICT for Transport, DG Information Society & Media, European Commission
2. Dr. Michel Parent, INRIA

3. Dr.-Ing. Tomas Benz, Director ITS Research, PTV (Germany)

4. Servet Balcioglu, Project Manager, Research & Innovation, Atos Origin, Turkey

STS8: Integrated Transport from the Travellers’ Perspective

Travellers are concerned with moving from an origin to a destination.  This may involve a single mode such as cycling or multiple modes.  Many car trips will involve more than one mode with park and ride facilities or walking to/from a car park.  Modes may be integrated by means of information and/or by the physical integration of services or charging.  This session will explore the various ways in which integration may occur, the extent to which they satisfy travellers, and the extent to which various aspects of integration may be used to influence behaviour for a more sustainable outcome.

This session will explore the various ways in which integration of transport modes may occur, the extent to which they satisfy travellers, and the extent to which various aspects of integration may be used to influence travel behaviour for a more sustainable mobility outcome. Discussion on integration of modes will include travel information, physical integration of services and charging means.  

Session Chair: Prof. Mike McDonald, University of Southampton

Invited Speakers:

1. Mr. Pawel Stelmaszczyk, European Commission, Head of Unit Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport

2. M. Richard Harris, Solutions Director at ACS-Xerox. ACS

3. Dipl.-Geograph Stefan Trommer, ,Research associate, German Aerospace Center (DLR)

4. Prof. Panos Papaioannou, Chairman of Thessaloniki Public Transport Authority
5. Professor Tony May, Institute for Transport Studies (ITS), University of Leeds
6. Mr. Gabriel Simcic, Project Manager, Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)

STS9: Efficient and interoperable railways

An efficient and inter operable railway system for Europe has been an objective of the European Commission for decades. But the 2011 transport White Paper makes this even more critical. By 2050 the Commission wishes to see the rail network becoming the main mode of long distance freight and medium distance passenger transport, as well as playing an important role in urban areas. Essentially three policies are proposed to achieve this; more effective competition within the rail network; internalisation of externalities to achieve a level playing field between modes and investment in trans European networks.

Effective competition within the rail network requires competition (either for or in the market) for passenger transport as well as freight, and removal of the barriers that hamper such competition. Amongst those barriers, differences in technology and safety regimes remain prominent.  Speakers will address what needs to be done to make competition more effective, and how to overcome the specific problem of inter operability as a source of inefficiency and as a barrier to entry, including in particular the role of the ERA. Time will be allowed for discussion and questions from the floor.

Session Chair: Prof. Chris Nash, University of Leeds

Invited Speakers:

1. Mr. Marcel Verslype, Executive Director, European Railway Agency France Executive Director – European Railway Agency
2. Mr. Libor Lochman, Executive Director – CER
3. Mr. Eric Fontanel, General Manager – UNIFE (TBC)

WEDNESDAY, 25 APRIL 2012

11:00 - 12:15

STS10: Transport research cooperation and R&D trends around the world

This session aims at presenting some facts and figures concerning transport R&D around the world and discussing the issues that exist for the promotion of a more rigorous and far reaching transport research cooperation around the world.  

There are six short presentations planned, by experts and transport research administrators, and a discussion period to give the opportunity to all session participants to air briefly their views and positions on the  subject.

The session will start with a short presentation concerning the transport research trends in all major regions of the world, and it will be followed by five short presentations of specific experiences and current policies, on the activities, the means used and the prospects for the promotion of transport R&D international cooperation  in the future.


Moderator:  Ms. Caroline Almeras, secretary General of ECTRI (European Conference of Transport Research Institutes)  

Panel:

1) Prof. George A. Giannopoulos, Director, Hellenic Institute of Transport,  Presentation: “Transport research trends around the world”.
2) Mr. Alessandro Damiani, European Commission, Head of Unit, DG Research & Innovation: Presentation: “The context for international cooperation in Transport research in the EU”.
3) Mr. Michael Trentacoste, US Federal Highway Administration
Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center : Presentation: “EU-US cooperation experience and prospects for the future”.
4) Mr. Juhani Jaaskelainen, European Commission, Head of Unit, DG Information Society & Media: Presentation: “EU cooperation with USA and Japan on ICT cooperative systems”.
5) Mr. Kevin Womack, US/DoT: Presentation: “UD-DoT international cooperation activities and experience”. 
6) Mr. Vincent Blervaque, Director of Development and Deployment, ERTICO: Presentation: “Experience on ERTICO’s cooperation with emerging economies (BRICS) in the field of road/urban transport research” .

STS11: WATERBORNE Industries Competitiveness

With more than 70% of the planet’s surface covered by water, the oceans are at the heart of life on earth. They drive our climate, shape our environment and are becoming increasingly important as a source of raw materials, food and energy. It is an often overlooked fact that the oceans are also the primary transportation route for many of the natural resources and the goods that are consumed globally: close to 90% of goods travel and will continue to travel to their destination by sea. Even more so today, dynamic maritime industries are a key element of healthy societies, environments and economies.

By their very nature, the waterborne industries are already global and in need for an overarching level playing field. In all fields of the maritime industry and waterborne operations, European companies belong to the world leaders. The waterborne industries competitiveness strategy is based on high productivity, the superior performance of its innovative products and services, and an ongoing commitment to developing and implementing new knowledge. With the constantly changing societal, environmental and market conditions, new knowledge will be needed to address the new challenges and provide new opportunities.


Session Chair: Mr. Herman de Meester, Deputy Secretary General of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA)

Invited Speakers:

1. Mr. Dimitris Konstantinos Theodossiou, Dipl. Eng., DUC, M. Sc., Vice President - Managing Director Danaos Management Consultants s.a.   
2. Mr. Willem Laros, Chairman Technical Advisory Committee, CESA

3. Ms. Mary Vayou MSc, Senior Research Scientist, BMT Group Ltd

4. Mr. Maccari Alessandro, Innovation and Development Manager, Merchant Ship Business Unit, Fincantieri
5. Mr. Paris Sansoglou, Secretery General Euda - Dredgers

STS12: The Future of Road Transport Electrification

With regard to the societal need for decarbonization in road transport, TRA2012 focuses both on increasing the energy efficiency and on decarbonizing the energy road transport consumes. In the decades until 2050, the challenge will be the need for a wide range of complementary propulsion systems and renewable fuel/energy types to be developed simultaneously. Nevertheless, the expectation is that fossil-based fuels will still dominate the energy pool for road transport in 2030, while the supply of crudes and distillates will increasingly struggle to keep pace with the increase in global demand. Efforts will therefore aim at improving the energy efficiency of new combustion-based propulsion technologies and diversifying the liquid fuel pool with renewable products in order to achieve optimal performance on a well-to-wheels basis. An important part of decarbonization will be realised through the increased uptake of electrically-powered drivetrains, for which the electricity supplied by the power sector will also need to be generated from renewable energy sources. The challenge will be to efficiently generate and distribute the electricity to consumers and then store the electricity onboard the vehicle in such way that it can compete with hydrocarbon fuels in terms of the required energy density.

Session Chair: Mr. Neville Jackson, ERTRAC Vice Chairman

Invited Speakers:

1. Mr. Frederic Sgarbi, Surface Transport, DG RTD, European Commission, Head of Unit Surface Transport

2. Dr. Heike Barlag, Siemens Energy

Invited Panelists:

3. Mr. Jerome Perrin, RENAULT S.A.S, DREAM - Department of Research, Advanced Engineering, and Materials

4. Prof. Konstantinos Boulouchos, ETH Zurich - Institut für Energietechnik

5. Dr. Ali Mohammadi, Senior Manager at Toyota Motor Europe

WEDNESDAY, 25 APRIL 2012

13:45 - 15:00

STS13: Road Safety: A decade of Action

After the extremely positive results obtained in the last 10 years the  decade 2011-2020 has been identified by the UN as the “Decade of action for road safety”. The EC itself has set a target of halving the number of fatalities from 2010 to 2020 and to achieve this an integrated safety approach is needed.
In the last decade several important actions have been taken at the EU level and worldwide, as the publication of the Directive 2008/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on Road Infrastructure Safety Management.
It is now time to implement strategies that have been built in the past years to move towards the ideal “zero fatalities” target. From principles to practices, from national practices to global practices, from single sector policies and practices (infrastructure/vehicle/human behaviour) to an integrated approach where all the components and modes are considered to achieve a safer transport system.
The aim of the strategic session is to bring together transport safety transport experts, authorities, researchers, decision makers and other stakeholders to discuss on the key issues to be implemented in the next decade in the different areas involved in transport safety.

Session Chair: Mr. Ludger Rogge, European Commission

Invited Speakers:

1. Prof. Fred Wegman, TU Delft, Managing Director, SWOV   
2. Dr. Ing. Alessandro Coda, Research Coordinator EUCAR    
3. Mr. Harry Cullen, Chair of the TG on Road Safety, CEDR   
4. Prof. Lorenzo Domenichini, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNIFI
5. Prof. George D. Yannis, Associate Professor, Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering, National Technical University of Athens