Theoretical models and operational procedures for feasibility studies of new cabotage lines

The present condition of freight transport system, unbalanced strongly toward the road transport, with remarkable costs both in terms of environment impact and of safety, pushes a relaunching of the combined road-sea transport and so of the maritime way. The paper proposes a methodological approach, founded on theoretical models, for feasibility studies of new cabotage lines, useful to orient the sector operators in the identifying efficient and effective sabotage services. After a short recall to the problems concerning the sabotage, some transport supply models are illustrated for sea and road transport as alternative modes. As concerns the transport demand, an estimation procedure based on RP/SP surveys, is suggested. The proposed models are applied for a comparative analysis of the road, railway and maritime transport alternatives between two Italian regions, taking into consideration also two different charge units: lorry with tractor and lorry without tractor. The analysis is made both according to a MTO and a Maritime Operator. Some feasibility studies of new sabotage lines in the Mediterranean Sea are under widening. The research can turn out a valid tool to orient the sector operators and contribute to avoid failures such as some recent cases in the Mediterranean Europe