EU-Rail and European DAC Delivery Programme to Host Rail Freight Innovation Event

Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) is the driver for digital European rail freight and the key technology to ensure Europe’s rail freight becomes more digitized, automated, and efficient. DAC will foster sustainability and a more reliable supply of goods across Europe for people and businesses.

Digital rail freight will improve the intermodal competitiveness of rail logistics to shift more volume to the most environmentally friendly and energy-efficient transport mode. It will also play a role as a key enabler of other technologies, such as ETCS operations without trackside equipment, and lay the basis for intelligent freight trains by offering power supply and connectivity for future wagon fleets.

The European rail sector is working, with the Union's support through Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail), on solutions to strengthen the performance of rail freight and to cope with the demand for green transport. The ‘Greening Freight Transport’ communication states that “the deployment of digital automatic couplers (DAC) will be a game-changer”, pushing rail freight into the 21^st century, increasing capacity, meeting emission targets, and boosting employment in Europe.

Against the backdrop of the Connecting Europe Days, EU-Rail, together with the European DAC Delivery Programme, will offer an insight into the state of play of the current DAC initiatives and developments by hosting a high-level European debate, as well as showcasing the opportunity offered by rail automation via a live DAC demonstration.

“The Future of Rail Freight – see how it works in the 21st century!”  event will take place in Train World (Brussels, Belgium) on 2 April at 11:00, in cooperation with the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and will feature speeches from the Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium and Minister of Transport, Georges Gilkinet, German Minister for Digital and Transport, Volker Wissing, and the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vǎlean (TBC).

Sector and government representatives will join a debate on experiences, funding, financing, large-scale testing, and deployment of the transformation project and express their views on the next steps to take for future digitized and automated European rail freight.

Panelists:

• Peter Füglistaler (Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Transport BAV)
• Sigrid Nikutta (Chair of Rail Freight Forward, CEO of DB Cargo)
• Paolo Pagliero (Group Vice President Technology of Wabtec)
• Mark Topal (CTO of ÖBB Holding AG, Manager of the European DAC Delivery Programme)
• David Zindo (President of UIP, CEO of Streem Group)

Moderator: Kristian Schmidt (Director for Land Transport, European Commission)

DAC is a unique opportunity for policymakers to push rail freight to the 21^st century while ensuring the long-term re-industrialization of the Member States. 
 
Detailed information and live stream are available at the following link. To register as a press and media representative, please click here.

 

Source: EU-Rail Press Releases