Assuring Depth of fairways for Archipelago Public Transportation

Programme Priority: P3 Well-connected region

Programme Specific Objective: 3.1. Improved transport flows of people and goods

Sub-programme: Archipelago and Islands

Duration: 01.03.2016 - 31.08.2019

Total budget: €2 182 443

ERDF: €1 636 832

Project Summary:

The project ADAPT addresses a cross-border challenge connected to attaining the joint and efficient public transportation system in the archipelagos. The project aims at developing safe, time-saving and fuel-efficient routes for the transportation of passengers and goods in the Åland and Stockholm archipelagos.

In practice the project improves maritime transport system as part of the intermodal system for public transportation along with reducing its environmental impacts and enabling safe and state of the art navigation. To reduce CO2 emissions the project aims to develop more fuel efficient routes. The main beneficiaries are passengers using public transport in the archipelago as well as communities and businesses on the islands depending on tourism and public transportation.

As a result of the project the overall travel times for passengers using public transportation in the Stockholm and Åland archipelagos is reduced by more than 10%. A number of traffic routes are adjusted, while others are under consideration for future adjustments. New tools and methods are in place for optimising vessel use and operation in case of shallow and narrow waters or severe weather conditions. The changes result in improved flows of people and goods.

Lead Partner

Sjöfartsverket

Country: SE

http://www.sjofartsverket.se/en/

Partner budget: 1.578.369 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 1.183.777 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

Stockholms Läns Landsting

Country: SE

http://www.sll.se/om-landstinget/Information-in-English1/

Partner budget: 129.405 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 97.054 EUR ERDF

Ålands Landskapsregering

Country: FI

http://www.regeringen.ax/

Partner budget: 474.669 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 356.002 EUR ERDF

Expected results

The project will result in more safe and efficient transportation of people and goods in the Åland and Stockholm archipelagos. ADAPT aims at improving routes and developing solutions to challenges such as optimising vessel use and securing reliable traffic in difficult conditions, e.g. ice, fog and low water levels in the narrow and shallow waterways characteristic of these archipelagos. This should result in overall reduced travel times for passengers using public transportation in the Stockholm and Åland archipelagos.

In Stockholm, the archipelago is divided into about 30 timetable areas. A vessel travelling through the archipelago often traverses several timetable areas and connect with other modes of public transportation at several nodes along the way. The traffic hence consists of a web of corridors making up a traffic system that has intermodal connections at about 20 nodes (ports and jetties).

In Åland, a more sustainable intermodal transport system will be implemented in the south-eastern part of the archipelago (maps provided as an appendix). This will be achieved by shortening ferry routes (in general decreasing travel times to < 60 min) and by increased integration with land-based transport. The reduction in total travel time is estimated to be over 10% when new routes are taken into use.

Evaluation of the effects of implemented measures and results of the project’s improvements would be carried out at intermodal nodes regarding travel-time savings for people and goods. Different effects could be monitored, such as total travel time for people and goods; ship travel times; punctuality with regard to timetables; and time for intermodal change. Measurements of some of these indicators are already in use. Measurements of improvements resulting in reduced CO2 emissions can be carried out and calculated as totals for people and goods. In Åland, decreased emissions of NOx and SOx are expected. The fuel consumption of ships will also be evaluated.