Although it has been a holiday period in Europe, ScanMed RFC hasn’t been on holiday. 

Trains have been running, and hard work commenced behind the scenes to ensure as smooth a flow of traffic as possible. We have been ready to support our customers and partners all the way.

Autumn has come. We are heading into a busy autumn/winter bringing with it new work routines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Linda Thulin, our Chairperson of the Management Board

Linda is still on sick leave, and we do not know when she will return. 

I, therefore, temporarily take on the role of Chairperson. 

Hans Wolf has temporarily joined the Management Board as the Swedish Transport Administration’s representative.

We send our best wishes to Linda. We hope she will recover and join us soon as we miss having her onboard. 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Corridor

It looks like we’ll be living with the Corona pandemic for a long time. 
Fortunately, goods can still be transported across borders, and we can deliver the products we have. COVID-19 has a significant influence on the way we work; when we can not meet face to face, things can become challenging. The travel restrictions are still in place, and it is doubtful if we are going to have meetings in person this year. The scheduled joint seminar of the MaBo and ExBo, planned for this autumn, will be postponed until the spring of 2021.

Virtual meetings will probably be a more significant part of the future; it is an area we try to optimize and improve, allowing us all to get the best out of the meetings. We regret that we can not visit our customers as of this moment. Despite this, we have managed to create and sustain a good dialogue, and we have the potential to welcome new customers.

Throwback to the summer of 2020

RAG meetings and TAG meetings have concluded during the summer. We were happy to welcome large numbers of participants to these meetings. One of the areas we are investigating further are the TCR’s and the coordination of timetables under TCR’s. We have good experiences from the collaboration between Banedanmark and the Swedish Transport Administration in this area; now, we will also solve the challenge between Banedanmark and DB Netz.

We managed an ICM-case during the summer holidays, where we gained valuable experiences. As usual, we will evaluate and use the findings to be even better next time.

We have a new REG North working group leader. We welcome Laura Vestergaard from Banedanmark.

PaP’s have been applied for within the deadline; the work connected to the PaP’s is continuing before we reach the final allocation.

Looking ahead – the fall and winter of 2020

The autumn will be busy, and the upcoming period is essential for the future of the corridors. In November, five years have passed since ScanMed RFC was established. Our focus remains to make it easier for the freight industry to choose the railway.

We have concluded the Market Analysis. The report will be presented and implemented in the upcoming months. The good collaboration with the ExBo continues. We have agreed to set up a joint working group to create proposals for climate goals for the ScanMed Corridor.  

There is a considerable focus on Rail Freight Corridors, and we will enter a new phase in the coming years. The Freight Ordinance of 2010 is under revision. A new Sector Statement agreement is signed in Berlin. The entire financing of the freight corridors (i.e., the EU funding) is in revision. 

The Brenner Axis Taskforce is operational, and we expect that good results will come out of the work.

Timetable Redesign TTR is a strategic Rail Net Europe RNE project that aims to re-design the actual timetabling and capacity allocation process that will be implemented by 2025. Until then, the corridor is open for pilots and offers its support.

TTR is likely to influence the ScanMed Strategy, and therefore there is a need for monitoring and actively take part in the project. Taking advantage of findings and influence this project, which will have a significant impact on the European capacity allocation process, it’s a strategic opportunity to be taken.

             These are just some of the things that we work on—all our endeavors aim at making the railway the obvious choice for freight transport

ScanMed RFC on Social Media, and our redesigned website

In recent months we have gained many new followers on LinkedIn and Twitter – we thank you for following us and engaging in our activities. Your support helps us to be even more visible, and this helps us to expand as a Rail Freight Corridor. Our website has been redesigned during the summer; the aim is to make it easier for you to navigate whether you use your computer, tablet, or phone. We urge you to follow, share, and engage with us. It will ensure that you are always up to date!

Hanne Bjørn Nielsen

Vice chairperson of the Management Board