ACCSEL
The idea of the project comes from the fact that the partners are located along a virtual seamless line – covering the whole region, an international cruise line and a commercial hub in the Mediterranean region. The role that these ports are called upon to play in increasing the growth of international trade, and the sustainability of local and national economies in Italy and Greece, is therefore of paramount importance.
Moreover, the White Paper “Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system” acknowledges the need to reduce congestion and improve the sustainability of the transport system, but does not seem to fully grasp the efforts needed to achieve a massive shift from road to maritime transport. The profile of maritime passengers (and potential passengers) is changing. The number of passengers with reduced mobility is increasing and the proportion of elderly people in the population is also increasing.
The project aims to improve accessibility in the areas of the participating ports by implementing integrated actions and controlling the access of persons and vehicles on the runway of each port while controlling the passengers of cruise ships visiting each port. The ports of Corfu, Patras and Brindisi are participating in the “ACCSEL” programme. The added value of the project is:
- Promote a comprehensive and rational planning of the port facilities system, which should be reflected in an improved and modern organisation, in line with the overall objectives of the national transport policy for ships and passengers,
- Improvement and creation of new port infrastructure and superstructures to upgrade and modernise port services,
- Developing physical and communication connectivity between the Mediterranean port facilities which have the primary role in the overall transport chain.