The role of port authorities in new intermodal service development; the case of Barcelona Port Authority

Improving intermodal connectivity is important for ports. However, developing new rail connections, especially in the contestable hinterland, is complex and requires substantial investments. Therefore, rail operators are reluctant to start new connections unless risks are limited. Port authorities can play a role in these hinterland connections to increase traffic to their ports. Barcelona is one of the leading port authorities in this respect, with a well developed hinterland strategy and a developing network of inland rail nodes. The Port Authority of Barcelona also invests in new rail shuttles, for instance between Barcelona and Lyon. This shuttle initiative is centre stage in this paper, as it may stand out as a best practise for port authority involvement in developing new rail connections. The paper starts with an introduction of the importance of intermodal transport for the development of hinterlands of ports. The second part will provide an overview of the hinterland strategy of Barcelona and describes in detail the participation of the port of Barcelona in the start-up phase of the intermodal connection to Lyon. The final section discusses the main conclusions from the case study with regard to the involvement of port authorities in the development of new intermodal transport services.