During the first 2017 meeting, the 22 members of the newly-born I AM Industry Alliance of transport chain stakeholders have agreed upon their common vision regarding multimodality, connectivity, logistics and growth and will start to work on the following issues:
Reduction of air pollution: Decarbonisation, NOx and sulphur emissions
Intermodality: Combined Transport Directive, interoperability and Inland Waterways connections
Digitalization: E-transport documents and the Reporting Formalities Directive
The next plenary session of the Alliance will take place during the TOC Europe conference to be held in Amsterdam from 27 to 29 June 2017. The meeting will be dedicated to a first evaluation of the work done by members of the Alliance as well as to the adoption of the roadmap for 2018: in view of the multimodal year.

Why Multimodality?
For the members of the Alliance, policy makers should give more attention to multimodality. No cargoes reach consumers while using a single mode of transport. Efforts should therefore be mobilized to facilitate seamless and sustainable operations involving different modes of transport.

Why Connectivity?
If cargo reaches a port and cannot continue its journey then this is most probably due to the fact that multimodal connections linking ports to the hinterland are not optimal or sufficient. Members of the Alliance will focus on those measures allowing modes, nodes and industrial clusters to be better connected.

Why Logistics?
Logistics is the cement that links operations aiming at ensuring that cargo reaches its point of destination as requested by customers. It is a key enabler sector for the European Economy. A 10 - 30% improvement in efficiency in the EU logistics sector would potentially equal a 100 - 300 billion € cost relief for European industry[1]
Efficiency in logistics will remain an important topic of the Alliance agenda given its crucial role for the further growth of an economically, socially, environmental and socially sustainable industrial activity.

Why Growth?
Growth is the only way to reconcile the EU with long term recovery and should therefore be a priority for all EU institutions and businesses. All signing organisations believe that multimodality, connectivity and logistics are enablers which can play key roles to restore growth in Europe.
'ICHCA is pleased to join this cross-party initiative and especially welcomes the inclusion of safety as one of the core themes for the Alliance', said Rachael White, CEO ICHCA Secretariat.

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