European Commission Approves €9.3 Million for Multimodal Terminals Development

The European Commission has approved state aid for two French multimodal freight terminals: CargoBeamer Terminal in Calais and Sète Terminal Société Investissement, part of the SNCF group, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The state aid measures amount to €6.3 million for Calais and €3 million for Sète, aimed at supporting the shift towards more sustainable transport modes.

Railway transshipment terminal

The Calais project involves the construction of a new rail terminal near the port.

The Sète project plans to develop a multimodal platform within the port complex.

Both projects will utilize horizontal transshipment technology, which allows for the handling of semi-trailers that cannot be lifted by cranes. This solution is crucial, as conventional terminals are not suitable for such tasks.

These initiatives are part of France’s national strategy focused on developing rail freight transport.

The strategy includes the creation of several rail-road terminals capable of efficiently handling semi-trailers and ensuring frequent freight transport.

The recipients of the state aid are CargoBeamer Terminal Calais, specializing in rail systems, and Sète Terminal Société Investissement, part of the SNCF group, which handles both passenger and freight transport.

The aid is provided in the form of grants, which will cover part of the financial deficit of the projects.

The European Commission concluded that these measures are crucial for stimulating the development of rail freight transport and transitioning to environmentally friendly transport modes.

Without state support, investments in these projects would not be feasible. The Commission also noted that the aid is proportional, limited, and has minimal impact on competition and trade between member states.

Photo: Christian Ferrer, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Rail business, industry, and railway technology news from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

East-West Gate – Intermodal Terminal