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Transport Markets and Logistics

An efficient and reliable transport system is a fundamental prerequisite for economic development

 

PLANCO's analyses and concepts create the prerequisites for the development of transport and logistics infrastructure to meet the demand of the industry. Our services cover the following areas:

 

Cost calculation

 

Transport costs are the core factor in competition between different modes of transport or multimodal transport chains, as well as between individual providers of freight transport and logistics: sea and inland ports, rail or road transport companies. These companies increasingly offer more than just transport and transhipment – whether from a single source or with cooperating partners. These include logistical services such as linking different modes of transport, warehousing, disposition, distribution, financial management and the processing of the handled goods on behalf of their customers.

 

As part of comprehensive competitive analyses, PLANCO develops cost estimates for individual components and for the entire transport chain. We analyse other competitive factors such as the reliability and quality of the services offered and advise service providers on how to optimise their competitive position.

 

Economic analysis and evaluation

 

Infrastructure projects of the EU, the German government or the German federal states generally reach considerable financial dimensions. Cost-benefit assessments are the key instrument for weighing up whether a project makes economic sense or which projects deserve priority. In addition to direct investment, operating and maintenance costs, expected internal and external costs also play an important role. How are changes in environmental impacts, accident figures, transport and travel times to be assessed? To what extent do macro-economic and business-related transport costs differ? 

 

On behalf of our responsible public clients PLANCO has developed standard procedures for the methodical questions to be clarified and has implemented these procedures through concrete cost-benefit analysis. The main areas of work are infrastructure projects in sea and inland ports, inland and sea waterways, trunk roads and the leasure shipping industry. As a basis for these assessments PLANCO develops and updates economic transport cost rates (including external costs), which may differ significantly from business costs. On this basis, PLANCO compiles cost comparisons of individual modes of transport.

 

Regional economic analysis

 

Infrastructure investments can trigger considerable regional economic effects. They generate additional employment not only during the construction period but also during the later operation period. They benefit the regional economy and population through transport cost and time savings. In terms of methodology, the regional economic assessment differs in part from the cost-benefit assessment from a macro-economic point of view. 

 

PLANCO has developed suitable evaluation procedures and has implemented these for numerous investment projects in ports, waterways, railways and trunk roads. In the course of these evaluations, PLANCO also determines the added value that sea or inland ports, for example, create for regional employment, added value and tax income.

 

Feasibility studies

 

PLANCO prepares feasibility studies for private and public investors, especially in the area of freight transport. These studies are based on demand analyses and forecasts (e.g. traffic forecasts), competition analyses (e.g. between different modes of transport, different ports or different transport chains), impact estimates (e.g. transport cost reductions, changes in employment, modal shifts), project-related business and/or economic costs and benefits. PLANCO relies on a long-term maintained database as well as its own software solutions, which have been tested many times.

If the client has developed alternative investment packages (e.g. different deepening of sea waterways), PLANCO develops a ranking of these alternatives with regard to their economic advantages.

 

Project development

 

The development of regional development projects that are eligible for support requires comprehensive knowledge of the funding backdrop and application procedures. It requires the mobilisation of cooperation partners from different countries, the development of an eligible project concept, the elaboration of detailed project descriptions, work programmes and budget plans. PLANCO supports initiators and project partners in all phases of application, project implementation and coordination with the funding body. If necessary, PLANCO takes over coordination and administration services for the project owners, so that they can concentrate on the content-related project work.

 

Project management

 

For EU-funded projects with partners from different countries and demanding coordination, reporting and administration requirements, PLANCO relieves the initiator (lead partner) as well as the project partners in all aspects of project coordination and administration. PLANCO supports the lead partner in content-related coordination and financial management. PLANCO advises the partners with regard to the requirements of the funding body in order to ensure smooth project administration. In coordination with the lead partner, PLANCO regularly informs itself about new content-related and administrative requirements of the funding agency in order to optimally support the partners in their project work as well as in factual and financial reporting. PLANCO has software at its disposal to ensure that financial administration is both transparent and labour-saving.

 

Policy advice

 

PLANCO develops concepts for the transport policy of the EU, the federal government and the federal states which allow to make the best possible use of existing development potentials or to tap new potentials. To this end, detailed future scenarios are being developed that show untapped or newly emerging potentials. PLANCO demonstrates and justifies key fields of action and promising measures. Here, all kinds of relevant governmental and non-governmental actors are being addressed. The development takes place in constant feedback with these actors in order to integrate them and to include their knowledge. PLANCO supports its clients in the dialogue with the actors in order to work towards coordinated action.

 

PLANCO also advises public clients on the development of new guidelines (e.g. for the modernisation of engines in coastal and inland waterway transport) and on the organisation of coordination procedures (e.g. between the German federal government and the federal states in the development of project proposals for federal transport route planning).

 

National and international research projects

 

On behalf of the EU, the German federal government and individual federal states, PLANCO is further developing existing methods of regional or economic project evaluation and forecasting instruments in order to adapt them to new scientific findings. We also support our clients in the development and implementation of national and European funding projects such as Horizon 2020.

 

References in the area Transport Markets and Logistics.

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