Rautatieinfrastruktuurin kehitystarpeet suuryksikkö ... - Liikennevirasto

Mäkelä, Tommi – Rantala, Jarkko – Liimatainen, Heikki: Developing needs for railway
infrastructure due to growing unit load transports. Finnish Rail Administration, Traffic
System Department. Helsinki 2006. Publications of Finnish Rail Administration A 11/2006. 117
pages + appendices, 6 pages. ISBN 952-445-167-0, ISBN 952-445-168-9 (pdf). ISSN 1455-
2604.
Keywords: freight transport, unit load, containers, transport chains, intermodal transport,
railways, rail infrastructure management, future, development
Abstract
The use of unit loads is a growing phenomenon both globally and in Finnish foreign
trade. This trend affects also domestic transports in Finland. It is important to railway
transport and infrastructure, that they are able to meet the transport service requirements
related to the unit load transports as well.
This study aims to outline development views in transportation and their allocation to
the segments of unit load transports and the railway infrastructure in Finland. The
starting point for the study has been to analyse future needs through factors, threats and
possibilities consisting of varied dimensions, varied certainties and varied foreseeability.
Evaluation is not only based on the foreseen, probable or desirable development, but on
more wide-ranging future visions of the operational environment. As a background to
the Finnish future views, some unit load transport solutions from other countries are
introduced. However, more stress is laid on new solutions and possibilities of unit load
transports by rail.
The following development views are assessed to have the most favourable effects on
unit load transports by rail: development that supports the use of unit loads, especially
the growth of container transports; increasing automation in all phases of transport
chains and simplification of transport and handling processes; changes in terminal and
transport needs after Vuosaari harbour goes in operation; as well as changes and
concentration of traffic into certain ports.
The favourable effects of the focal development views are concentrated most clearly on
the unit load transports connected to ports, unit load transport solutions of the industry
and combined transport. The most favourable effects on the unit load transports by rail
are focused on international container transports, combined transport, container
transports connected to ports and unit load transport solutions of the industry. Effects on
the Finnish railway infrastructure are focused on export and product transport links,
main lines, harbour connections and border crossing links. Certain effects are
concentrated particularly on the container and combined transport links. The rail
infrastructure characters the effects are especially concentrated on, are railway capacity,
distribution for transport flows and load handling in terminals.