The ambition of this Roadmap is the achievement of EU wide co-modal transport services within a well synchronized, smart and seamless network, supported by corridors and hubs, providing optimal support to supply chains. It involves a step change from the current system, towards the ultimate vision of the Physical Internet, by synchronizing intermodal services between modes and with shippers, (referred to as Synchromodality), aligning equipment and services on corridors and hubs and integrating these into networks.
So far, network integration has been focused on interconnectivity and interoperability of transport processes and equipment. Integration has been achieved only partially at the TEN-T core network level, without alignment of hubs and corridors specifically for freight transport. There is a poor match between requirements of door-to-door freight services within Europe and the supporting pan-European infrastructure. In addition, important dynamic qualities of the transport system such as flexibility, resilience and responsiveness are still underdeveloped. Thirdly, integration has not been achieved in the vertical sense, aligning transport services with supply chain requirements of manufacturers, distributors and the wholesale sector. Freight services are, therefore, insufficiently customer-oriented to serve increasingly diverse client’s needs.