Voies navigables de France and the Ile-de-France region entered into a partnership as follow up to the French Aid Plan for Modal Shift, which was approved by the European Commission in 2013, with the objective of shifting more freight to waterways transport. This Plan of 14 million euro for the period 2013-2017 provides guidance for logistic stakeholders (shippers, logistic and transport coordinators, maintenance providers or multimodal platform managers) in the different steps of their modal shift programme. Regions can be associated - as in this case - to provide additional financial support.
The plan entered into by VNF and Ile-de-France, will last for 5 years, and provides financing for:
- economic or feasability studies
- experimental waterways projects
- maintenance tools or investment in port infrastructure
Ile-de-France commits 500,000 euro a year to assist enterprises and encourage best practices, in the framework of its regional policy of assisting in the development of freight transport and urban logistics.