Multimodality and digitalisation have been included in the European Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy as key drivers to achieve a fully decarbonised, resilient, seamless and digital freight transport, in which rail has the potential to become the backbone of the European multimodal transport.
The IRAIL project, coordinated by Fundación Valenciaport and co-financed by the CEF Programme, has allowed the digitalisation of the information exchanged in freight train operations, improving interoperability and data safety in compliance with the European directives.
Infrastructure Managers, Railway Undertakings, Wagon Keepers, and other rail actors involve in freight train operations, will use the European standard TAF TSI for exchanging information in a digital and harmonised way.
The TAF TSI standard is based on XML messages and databases to exchange information for the planning and preparation of the trains, information of train running and the monitoring of wagons and intermodal units in the transport shipment. These TAF TSI messages can be sent and received between any rail actor thanks to the Common Interface, which supports the interoperable exchange of data.
The IRAIL project has also allowed the railway undertakings to digitalise data included in their Safety Management Systems, ensuring safety in their daily activities.
The main companies and institutions from the rail freight sector in Spain, Portugal and Italy, have worked closely with the European Union Agency for Railways and the Spanish Railway Safety Agency contributing to building a Single European Railway Area, improving interoperability, safety and efficiency of rail services, and, ultimately, increasing the share of rail freight in Europe as the most sustainable mode of transport, in line with the goals set out in the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.