Contents

Foreword 5

Background, objectives and scope of this guide 5

Introduction 6

Infrastructure capacity – What are the issues? 6

Section 1 - Some goods transport characteristics 9

Introduction 10

1 - Changes-over in economic processes 11

2 - Logistical organisations and consequences for transport 13

3 - Comparison of various transport modes 18

4 - Information and communication technologies in transport 23

Appendices 26

Section 2 - Characteristics of pallets and containers for goods transport 28

Introduction

1 - Pallets 29

2 - Containers 31

Appendices 37

Section 3 - Rail transport capacity 39

Introduction 40

1 - Regulatory and organizational framework of rail transport 42

2 - Equipment used for Rail Freight 45

3 -The French national rail Network 48

4 - Railway network Operation 52

5 - Railway network Capacity 57

6 - Assessment and development prospects 66

Appendices 69

Section 4 - Road cransport capacity 82

Introduction 83

1 - Regulatory and organisational framework of road transport 84

2 - Road transport Vehicles 91

3 - Description of French road Network 97

4 - Road infrastructure Capacity 102

Appendices 109

Section 5 - Combined Road/Rail transport capacity 124

Introduction 125

1 - General information on combined road/rail transport 125

2 - Equipment: Swap Bodies 127

3 - Combined transport Capacities: what constraints? 128

4 - Design of combined transport Terminals 132

Appendices 137

Section 6 - Inland Waterway transport capacity 142

Introduction 143

1 - Fleet Used for inland waterway Freight Transport 144

2 - Description of inland waterway Network 148

3 - Inland waterway network Operation 151

4 - Inland waterway network Capacity 153

5 - Capacity of inland Ports 161

Appendices 166

Section 7 - Sea transport capacity 185

Introduction 186

1 - Regulatory and organisational framework of Sea Transport of Goods 186

2 - Fleet used for sea transport of goods 191

3 - Harbour terminal characteristics 196

4 - Competitive criteria for ports and challenges for Capacity 199

Appendices 209

Section 8 - Air transport capacity 225

Introduction 226

1 - Organisational framework of Air Freight 227

2 - Equipment used for air freight 232

3 - Airport runway capacity 235

4 - Air corridor capacity 239

5 - The air freight Terminal 240

6 - How is airport freight capacity evaluated ? 243

Appendices 246

Section 9 - Pipeline transport capacity 254

Introduction 255

1 - Oil pipelines 255

2 - Gas pipelines 259

Appendices 263

Bibliographical References 269

Lexicon and Glossary of Acronyms 278