High Performance Green Port Giurgiu Stage II – Construction

NEED AND ADDED VALUE FOR THE DANUBE REGION STRATEGY: The project which is under implementation now was approved under the CEF-Transport programme. It is the implementation of the Study “High Performance Green Port Giurgiu – 2012-EU-18089-S” funded under the TEN-T programme. The Study was finalized in August 2015 and represents stage 1 of the transformation of Free Zone Port Giurgiu into a High Performance Green Port. The study provides the preparatory work needed for the upgrade of the road, rail and port infrastructure, together with the building of an intermodal logistics terminal. The action being implemented now represents Stage II and is deploying the infrastructure as “works project”. In addition, the action includes the development of the supply management system, the training of staff members and the environmental certification of the Port after the works have been performed. The application was filed to the CEF/MAP Call 2014 and it addressed Funding Objective 4, Priority 1 as “works”. The project was approved under the CEF-Transport programme. Giurgiu is the closest Danube port location (only 66 km distance) serving Bucharest, Romania’s capital and the adjoining region. The Free Zone Port is located on the TEN-T Rhine-Danube core network corridor. The project is one of common interest with high relevance for the trans-European transport network. The project will have the following results: - Increased capacity of Free Zone Giurgiu Port: from 60,000 tons / year (2013) to 300,000 tons / year to be reached in a 10-year-interval since the finalization of the project. - Diversification of cargo flows in the port by introducing new types of cargo especially high-quality steel products. - Increased quality of the logistics services provided due to the building of an all-weather terminal. - Increased interoperability of all transport and logistics processes within the port due to the implementation of advanced IT software for the warehouse management and the connection of the intermodal terminal to the rail and road services. - Improved safety and more fluent traffic within the port due to the upgrade of the obsolete infrastructure: rehabilitated quay for the construction of the intermodal terminal, rehabilitated road, new railway connection as well ascapital dredging within the port basin to ensure unhindered all year access at cost-effective vessel draught. - Reduction of CO2 emissions from the port operations by: using new equipment (2 cranes and lifting equipment installed and ready for operations). - Better energy efficiency of the port by applying specific measures: LED and sensor lighting, special insulation applied to the all-weather terminal, energy efficient heating and cooling systems. - Highly skilled work force: at least 30 people trained in the field of logistics and the operation of the intermodal terminal. - Providing the Danube port community as well as public authorities with a good-practice example on how an old port (brownfield investment) can be transformed into a high-performance logistics node. The project is in line with operational objectives set in the Romanian General Master Plan for Transport in regards to inland navigation. It is included in the list of pre-identified sections and projects stipulated in Annex I, Part I.2 of the CEF Regulation and also addresses key areas of intervention of the Naiades II policy framework meant to reinforce the contribution of the inland waterways and ports to a sustainable European Freight transport network namely developing quality infrastructure, improving the environmental quality of the port operations and high-lighting the need for skilled workforce. OBJECTIVE(S) OF THE PROJECT: The project is designed to transform Giurgiu Free Zone Port into a High Performance Green Port by: - Upgrading its key infrastructure by building an all-weather trimodal terminal and by rehabilitating roads, railways and quay infrastructure enabling to provide logistics services that are as competitive as those offered on the upper Danube sector/Western Europe. - Connecting Inland Waterway Transportation (IWT) with the road and rail networks, thus permitting quicker transfer times and creating thus cost-effective intermodal logistics chains. - Stimulating IWT and related intermodal transportation and thus reducing specific greenhouse gas emissions associated to road transportation as well as operation of outdatedport equipment. - Stimulate regional economic growth by facilitating high performance logistics services for the entire region. PLANNED PROJECT ACTIVITIES: The project is divided into 4 activities: Activity 1: Project management & Communication. Activity 2: Construction works. Activity 3: Supply Chain Management System. Activity 4: Environmental Certification for the port of Giurgiu. Activity 1 deals with all the preparatory work needed to start, implement and finalize the project in line with the terms and conditions required by the funding programme. It also displays the cooperation between public & private entities when carrying out infrastructure investments that will generate additional jobs and economic growth in the area. The communication and dissemination tasks related to the project are also included in this activity. Activity 2 includes all the works on the infrastructure elements that are being developed within the project. These elements have been identified and technical solutions for their improvement have been developed and assessed within the High Performance Green Port Giurgiu project-2012-EU-18089-S funded under the TEN-T program. Based on the feasibility studies previously elaborated the works are being carried out in compliance with the Romanian legislation in force. Work is split into several sub-activities: Set-up of the work site (Sub-activity. 2.1). Upgrade and construction of the road infrastructure, including the connection with the regional/national road network (Sub-activity. 2.2). Upgrade and construction of the rail infrastructure, including the connection with the regional/national rail network (Sub-activity. 2.3). Upgrade of the port waterside infrastructure (Sub-activity. 2.4). Intermodal Logistics Terminal (Sub-activity. 2.5). All project partners carry out the preparatory stages before starting the works for the infrastructure elements they are responsible for (install facilities for the workers, carry out demolitions and obtain all necessary work permits required in line with the Romanian legislation). ILR Logistica Romania SRL which acts as coordinator of the activity is responsible for the building of the intermodal logistics terminal within Giurgiu Free Port. These works also include: Building the service area around the all-weather terminal: parking & waiting area available. Connecting the terminal to all the transport modes in the area (road, rail and inland navigation). Purchasing the cranes and loading equipment for the all-weather terminal. Making the special fixtures for the new cranes. All these new infrastructure elements will also be connected to the utilities networks and all the work is performed in the section dedicated to the intermodal logistics terminal. ILR Logistica Romania SRL also carries out the following infrastructure works: Building a new railway line to serve the intermodal logistics terminal. Installing a collision avoidance line as a safety precaution. Installing railway switches & buffer stops. Building 1 level crossing within the port area, other than the one built by Giurgiu Municipality. Building ditches to allow rain water to drain. Planting different types of vegetation to act as an anti-erosion mattress for the railways. Installing sound-absorbing panels along the railway tracks. Furthermore, ILR Logistica Romania SRL is also responsible for the following waterway infrastructure elements: Capital dredging works within the port basin to ensure the proper depth for the ships to reach the intermodal terminal. Reinforcement of the quay walls where the intermodal logistics terminal shall be built. Works related to the road infrastructure within Giurgiu Free Zone Port are carried out by the Free Zone Administration. This partner is responsible for the rehabilitation of 1.38 km of road within the port. This partner is also responsible for the consolidation of the structural frame of the old quay that it manages. Giurgiu Municipality is in charge of building 1 railway level crossing to facilitate access to the intermodal terminal and help with traffic decongestion. Activity 3 deals with the set-up of the supply chain within the intermodal terminal. To complement this design the warehouse management software is also implemented. Training for the staff members and test operations are also conducted. Activity 4 includes the environmental review of the High Performance Green Port upon the completion of the works and the installation of the new energy-efficient loading/unloading equipment. The port benefits from a new environmental policy with clearly defined objectives & targets as well as the measures and responsibilities to meet them. The environmental audit of the port is performed in order to comply with the requirements of the EU EMAS Regulation. TRANSBOUNDARY IMPACT: The port is located on the TEN T Rhine-Danube core network corridor. The project is one of common interest with high relevance for the trans-European transport network: - by adopting the all-weather tri-modal hub model successfully applied in Port of Linz / Austria and implementing it on the Lower Danube, it contributes to reducing the infrastructure and service quality gap between Upper and Lower Danube States. - the development of intermodal transport facilities in Giurgiu area offers a high-quality link between inland navigation infrastructure, railways and roads, thus supporting environmentally friendly long-distance traffic of goods (in particular Austria-Romania), but also encouraging the local distribution of goods within Giurgiu County and the Greater Bucharest Area as well as the regional distribution to Bulgaria and even Turkey. - the upgrade of Giurgiu Free Zone Port allows the creation of a key logistics hub between the Danube waterway and the rail and road routes Bucharest-Giurgiu/Rousse-Stara Zagora resp. Varna; special importance will be given to the hub function for relations from and to Constanta. The increase in the port capacity (transhipment, storage, handling, etc.) also tackles one of the bottlenecks on the common Romanian-Bulgarian Danube section, while allowing for better logistics connections between Member Statesand adjoining regions. - the upgrade process for Giurgiu Free Zone Port takes into account and uses in an efficient manner the existing infrastructure; it provides a best practice for the rehabilitation of out of use brownfield infrastructure. - the tri-modal hub for the handling of freight within the port area will be open to all operators in a non-discriminatory way and it shall apply transparent charges. - the measures adopted in order to transform Giurgiu into a Highly Performant Green Port will serve as a model to other ports along the Danube and will contribute to the promotion of low-carbon transport, resulting in a significant reduction of CO2 by 2050 along the Rhine-Danube corridor. PROJECT BENEFICIARIES / TARGET GROUPS: ILR Logistica Romania SRL – coordinator of the action. Giurgiu Municipality. Giurgiu Free Zone Administration. Target groups: shipping companies, port operators, industry.