The H2020 Novimar project introduces the innovative concept of vessel trains (VT) that resembles the concept of truck platooning and aims "to adjust the waterborne transportation such that it can make optimal use of the existing short-sea and inland waterways and vessels (…)'. The triple bottom line performance of the concept is assessed and compared to the performance of the current transport system. This paper focuses on the economic performance and sets the foundations for its measurement by 1) describing the current situation of inland navigation, shortsea shipping and sea-river transport; 2) analysing the railway and road operations as the main competitors so as to take lessons; 3) presenting a review of the data sources available with respect to cargo flows and collecting the current cargo flows that will be used to set up the Origin-Destination (OD) matrix of the Antwerp case, 4) determining the geographical scope of a second case study area; 5) conducting a literature review of supply chain performance indicators (PIs) and 6) identifying the key PIs. The results will be input to the Novimar transport system model based on which the new VT concept will be evaluated compared to the current transport system.

The H2020 Novimar project introduces the innovative concept of vessel trains (VT) that resembles the concept of truck platooning and aims “to adjust the waterborne transportation such that it can make optimal use of the existing short-sea and inland waterways and vessels (…)’. The triple bottom line performance of the concept is assessed and compared to the performance of the current transport system. This paper focuses on the economic performance and sets the foundations for its measurement by 1) describing the current situation of inland navigation, shortsea shipping and sea-river transport; 2) analysing the railway and road operations as the main competitors so as to take lessons; 3) presenting a review of the data sources available with respect to cargo flows and collecting the current cargo flows that will be used to set up the Origin-Destination (OD) matrix of the Antwerp case, 4) determining the geographical scope of a second case study area; 5) conducting a literature review of supply chain performance indicators (PIs) and 6) identifying the key PIs. The results will be input to the Novimar transport system model based on which the new VT concept will be evaluated compared to the current transport system.