Projects

iTransfer
innovative TRANsport Solutions for Fjords Estuaries and Rivers


Summary

iTransfer (Innovative Transport Solutions for Fjords, Estuaries and Rivers) aimed to make ferry transport more freely accessible and sustainable, and encourage more people to travel by water. In areas in the North Sea Region there were opportunities to replace existing vehicle routes with passenger ferries. Travelling by ferry is more sustainable, easier and quicker. It can also provide lifeline services to remote communities.

iTransfer sought to better understand the market demand for passenger ferries and explore solutions to deliver a viable and sustainable transport alternative to road. This included developing green ferry technology to make operations more efficient, reducing CO2 emissions and other pollutants, and promoting greener transport choices. The project also looked to integrate ferry travel with other transport modes to improve accessibility throughout the region and provided guidance to streamline tendering requirements.

Duration
01/10/2010 - 31/12/2014
Priority
3 - Improving the Accessibility of Places in the North Sea Region
Area of Intervention
3.1 To promote regional accessibility strategies
ERDF Grant
2,287,825.00 €
ERDF Equivalent
0,00 €
Total Eligible Budget
4,575,650.00 €
Lead Beneficiary
Institute for Sustainability, UK
Laurienne Tibbles
Laurienne.Tibbles@instituteforsustainability.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 207 517 1846)
Project Homepage
Beneficiaries per Country
United Kingdom
Institute for Sustainability
Gravesham Borough Council
South East of Scotland Transport Partnership SESTRAN
Kent County Council
Maid of the Forth
East Lothian Council
UCL Energy Institute
The Netherlands
TESO
Rederij Doeksen
Damen Shipyards Gorinchem
Belgium
Port of Oostende
Germany
Magistrat Bremerhaven
Weserfähre
BIS - Bremerhaven Touristik
Helgoland
Hal-Över
Background and Aim

Aim
The aim of iTransfer was to develop and present innovative, sustainable solutions in ferry technology, operation and policy to improve regional accessibility by water-based public transport in the North Sea Region via a TOP approach: - resolve Technological issues (design of ferries and landings), - improve ferry Operation (integration of ferries with the public transport system and set-up of new ferry connections) - support a Policy environment, which resolved tendering problems and recommended comprehensive barrier-free access solutions.

Focussing on ferries as sustainable means of transport to optimize access to regions where water courses offer potential for public transport, iTransfer sought a strategy on “how” to make efficient use of this potential. By working together across different regions and sectors, the project developed a new ship design, adapted a ship for eco-fuel and built a tide proof landing, and built critical mass to show new policy options.

Background
North Sea local and regional authorities wish to improve their accessibility as sustainably as possible. The road system is often congested. The North Sea Region has significant underused capacity for water transport on rivers and estuaries, new ferry services could offer new access for passengers and improved interconnectivity within cities, islands or inland destinations by river.

Regional, national and EU programmes and policies demand reduction of CO2 emissions. Business and tourism need greater accessibility and interconnectivity of public transport. Regional Public Transport Authorities seeking improved accessibility of islands and suburbs are looking for appropriate ferry technology, which offers modern and commercially viable transport quality, combining reduced fuel consumption, low CO2 emissions, and less wash to protect the fauna and flora near the shore. To implement new transport concepts, more and new types of ferry landings are required because of the huge North Sea tide hub. We need to understand the passenger ferry market demand, specific passengers’ requirements and needs in order to tailor solutions to compete against individual transport.

As rules in the field of passenger ferry transport have become so complex and sophisticated, European players such as local, regional and national administrations and (public) transport authorities, ferry operators and shipyards joined forces transnationally in the iTransfer project to work jointly on new technology, operational concepts and policy frameworks to improve accessibility and sustainability.

  • Installation and launch of an innovative accessible North Sea Region ferry-landing and a sustainable standard North Sea Region ferry operating with liquefied natural gas (LNG)
  • Set-up of new ferry connections
  • A joint knowledge base on ferry operation
  • Improve accessibility of places, higher sustainability of passenger transport and increase efficiency of public transport systems.

Grand opening of pontoon (October 2012)

Ferry fuel flow control panel

Optimising ferry routes

Bremerhaven ferry in operation

Simulator training facilities

Sustainable ferry design

Sustainable ferry landings pontoon ramp
Documents
iTransfer report 14 - Tendering ferry services / IfS report on barrier-free access to ferry landings for people with impaired mobility
iTransfer report 13 - Tendering ferry services / UCL final report on sustainability issues in public procurement of ferry services
iTransfer report 12 - Tendering ferry services / Kent County Council (KCC) report on tendering a passenger ferry service
iTransfer report 11 - Tendering ferry services / SEStran Ferry Toolkit
iTransfer Report 10 _Annex 01- Accessible ferry landings and new routes / Erlebnis Bremerhaven passenger survey report
iTransfer Report 10 - Accessible ferry landings and new routes / Erlebnis Bremerhaven passenger survey report
iTransfer Report 09 - Accessible ferry landings and new routes / SEStran report on accessible landings: Galloway’s Pier reconfiguration
iTransfer Report 08 - Accessible ferry landings and new routes / Gravesham report on new ferry connections and improved viability of the Gravesend Pier and Pontoon
iTransfer Report 07_Annex 05 - Accessible ferry landings and new routes / Gravesham report on North Sea Region (NSR) accessible ferry landing design
iTransfer Report 07_Annex 04 - Accessible ferry landings and new routes / Gravesham report on North Sea Region (NSR) accessible ferry landing design
iTransfer Report 07_Annex 03 - Accessible ferry landings and new routes / Gravesham report on North Sea Region (NSR) accessible ferry landing design
iTransfer Report 07_Annex 02 - Accessible ferry landings and new routes / Gravesham report on North Sea Region (NSR) accessible ferry landing design
iTransfer Report 07_Annex 01 - Accessible ferry landings and new routes / Gravesham report on North Sea Region (NSR) accessible ferry landing design
iTransfer Report 07 - Accessible ferry landings and new routes / Gravesham report on North Sea Region (NSR) accessible ferry landing design
iTransfer Report 06 - Efficient operations and sustainable design / Summary report on fuel cell feasibility
iTransfer Report 05 - Efficient operations and sustainable design / Ostend workshop, B2B and activity report
iTransfer Report 04 - Efficient operations and sustainable design / SEStran Maid of the Forth fuel trials
iTransfer Report 03_Annex 01 - Efficient operations and sustainable design / Weserfähre manual: fuel saving techniques and strategy
iTransfer Report 03 - Efficient operations and sustainable design / Weserfähre manual: fuel saving techniques and strategy
iTransfer Report 02 - Efficient operations and sustainable design / TESO report on sustainable ferry travel: innovative ferry design
iTransfer Report 01_Annex 02 - Efficient operations and sustainable design / Damen report on specification requirements for a sustainable North Sea Region ferry
iTransfer Report 01_Annex 01 - Efficient operations and sustainable design / Damen report on specification requirements for a sustainable North Sea Region ferry
iTransfer Report 01 - Efficient operations and sustainable design / Damen report on specification requirements for a sustainable North Sea Region ferry
iTransfer Newsletter 04 - December 2014
iTransfer flyer
iTransfer brochure 2014

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