Improving transport infrastructure and to modernising transport operations are important objectives in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) in the next few years: European integration, social and economical changes, former East European countries, as well as developments in logistics (such as global sourcing) will increase the amount of cargo handling within the BSR and to other economic regions of the world.
This process has strong impacts on spatial planning, regional development, environmental issues and the necessity for sustainable development as posted in BALTIC 21.
BALTICOM deals with both areas, transport and spatial planning and is dedicated to improving maritime transport co-operation with a focus on new information and communication technologies, multimodal centres and port-hinterland connections within the BSR. With respect to measure 7.1.2, it will contribute to balanced and sustainable regional development;
Investigating on the spatial effects of these improvements. With this context, regional case studies in four subregions (southern Finland, northern Germany, Russia - St. Petersburg and in non-EU-regions such as Gdansk and Klaipeda) will be done.