Space for Intermodal Transport

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

This opportunity offers funding to European teams interested in developing sustainable space-based services and applications for intermodal transport, covering both freight and passenger transportation. The Call will accept proposals for Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects. Proposed services must utilise satellite data or space-based technologies. Refer to the ‘Authorisation of Funding’ section below to determine if your team is eligible for funding.

THE CHALLENGE

Intermodal transport involves transferring passengers or goods using multiple transportation modes without handling goods during transfers. Urban areas face issues with congestion, parking, and pollution. Integrating intermodal transport with Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) can improve transport efficiency by coordinating various modes into accessible solutions. Cities are moving from car dependency to public transport and cycling, and well-designed intermodal systems can provide efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly options.

Success in intermodal solutions requires well-designed nodes that facilitate smooth passenger transfers, ensuring comfort and safety. MaaS platforms offer real-time transport options and integrated billing, which can decrease car usage. Developing robust intermodal systems necessitates collaboration among industry stakeholders, new business models, and improved data processing.

For freight, intermodal transport can enhance the safe and efficient movement of goods over long distances. The EU's freight market is considerable, with significant contributions from road, rail, and maritime transport. Effective intermodal freight relies on regulatory measures such as the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), aiming to improve transport infrastructure by 2030 and support the EU’s Green Deal goals.

Intermodal transport offers opportunities for urban mobility and freight but faces challenges such as route planning, data integration, and varied regulations across transport modes. Addressing these challenges requires coordination, standardisation, and collaboration among stakeholders. Advanced technologies, including AI and blockchain, combined with space-based capabilities, can innovate processes and enhance the efficiency of intermodal systems, contributing to the decarbonisation of freight transport and overall supply chain effectiveness.

The following topics are relevant to this opportunity, along with examples of potential applications that could be proposed. However, these topics are not exhaustive.

TOPICS OF RELEVANCE

Environmental Sustainability

Intermodal transport integrates multiple modes of transportation in a coordinated way, enhancing efficiency and reducing environmental impacts:

• Reduction of Road Congestion: Intermodal systems reduce road congestion, which is a significant contributor to environmental degradation. Fewer cars and lorries on the road lead to lower emissions and improved air quality in urban areas.
• Optimised Transport Choices: Selecting the most efficient mode for each leg of a journey helps to minimise emissions. For example, using trains for long-distance goods transport reduces the need for multiple lorry trips, thus lowering the overall carbon footprint. Additionally, integrating rail and maritime transport in port operations decreases lorry traffic and emissions in surrounding urban areas.

Efficiency and Flexibility

Flexibility in intermodal transport is crucial for ensuring efficient and seamless journeys for passengers and goods. By integrating advanced digital solutions, we can reduce delays, optimise resource utilisation, and create smoother, more cost-effective operations.

According to the UK Urban Transport Group, “Greater digital connectivity and the growth of ‘on-demand’ transport have led to increased expectations for public transport to adapt to customer convenience rather than requiring customers to conform to rigid timetables and routes. In the next decade, people will likely demand more flexibility and seamless integration in their transport options.

Key use cases include:

• Advanced Tracking Systems: Utilising GNSS and IoT devices for real-time updates on the location of passengers and goods can propose alternative transport combinations. Continuous journey monitoring, compliant with GDPR and privacy regulations, enables timely solutions to minimise disruptions.
• Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT): DRT is a shared public transport model where vehicles adjust their routes based on user needs, without fixed schedules. This flexibility allows for better connections among various transport modes. DRT trials in several UK urban areas have shown significant benefits, especially in small and medium-sized towns during off-peak times or for large workplaces with irregular hours, such as hospitals.
• Infrastructure Challenges: Seamless intermodal transport requires adequate infrastructure to facilitate smooth movement between different transport modes. Issues like insufficient rail connections to ports or a lack of intermodal terminals can hinder efficiency. Developing applications that utilise Digital Twins can help assess the feasibility of building or upgrading infrastructure, such as new rail lines and intermodal terminals, to support efficient intermodal operations.

Safety

Ensuring the safety of passengers and vehicles requires reliable communication, especially in remote areas with limited or no terrestrial coverage. Additionally, keeping goods in the same unit throughout the journey minimises the risks of theft or damage.

Key use cases include:

• Minimised Handling: Transporting goods without handling them during mode changes not only reduces damage and loss but also saves time and costs. For instance, intermodal transport using rail is generally safer than road transport, as railroads have fewer accidents and can more easily handle hazardous materials. Continuous connectivity for monitoring goods is essential to overcome safety challenges.
• Communication in Low-Connectivity Areas: In remote regions, prompt communication during critical situations is vital for passenger safety. Innovative solutions are needed to establish reliable communication, ensuring swift responses to rescheduling needs.
• Adverse Weather Adaptation: Moving in adverse weather conditions may necessitate route and mode adjustments. Providing advanced weather warnings is crucial for ensuring safety and security during transport.

VALUE OF SPACE

There are many opportunities to use space assets and to integrate them with other technologies for the above topics. A (non-exhaustive) list of examples can be found below:

Satellite Positioning and Timing

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) enable innovative tracking and tracing of vehicles and goods through precise positioning, navigation, and timing. GNSS can provide positioning information ranging from coarse to high accuracy, depending on the use case. For example, it facilitates real-time location data and flow monitoring, enabling effective route optimisation and tracking for passengers, vehicles, and goods.

Satellite Communications

Satellite connectivity is vital for signalling critical situations in remote or low-connectivity areas. Integrating satellite and terrestrial networks can ensure reliable connectivity in these regions, supporting seamless data transfer and enhancing communication.

Satellite Earth Observation (SatEO)

SatEO data, combined with advancements in AI and machine learning, can offer insights into activities along the supply chain. It can identify infrastructure needs and monitor the environmental impacts of traffic, such as emissions, while providing meteorological information relevant for route optimisation and planning.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR

We seek business ideas in Intermodal Transport that demonstrate:

• Market opportunities and customer needs
• Commercially viable service concepts
• Feasible technical solutions
• Value from space data or technology
• Teams with business, technical, and financial expertise

ESA SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

We invite proposals for:

• Feasibility Studies - to identify, analyse, and define new sustainable services.
• Demonstration Projects - to implement and demonstrate pre-operational services.

HOW TO APPLY

Step 1: Activity Pitch Questionnaire

The Activity Pitch Questionnaire allows you to present your business idea in a reduced, standardised pitch. It helps us to quickly assess your activity and decide on the way forward.

1. Download the Activity Pitch Questionnaire. 
2. Prepare your pitch and optionally consult with an ESA Business Applications Ambassador.
3. Submit your pitch as instructed in the Activity Pitch Questionnaire. You will need to sign up to the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP) to submit your idea. Instructions can be found here.

Upon submission of an Activity Pitch Questionnaire:
•    We may share the submitted Activity Pitch Questionnaire with National Delegations for coordination purposes. 
•    We will assess your pitch.
•    We will inform you about the results and next steps.

Note: 
•    Before Full Proposal submission (Step 3), you must obtain authorisation from the National Delegations of the countries in which your and your partners’ organisations reside. We recommend liaising with the National Delegations as early as possible. 
•    For Italian entities, it is NOT required to contact the National Delegation (ASI), because ESA has been delegated by ASI to interface with the Tenderer in the whole stage of the bidding process. 

 

Step 2: Outline Proposal

If we accept your Activity Pitch Questionnaire, we will invite you to prepare an Outline Proposal for a Feasibility Study or Demonstration Project. 

1. Download the Outline Proposal Template for a Feasibility Study or Demonstration Project from the Documents webpage.
2. Prepare your proposal, elaborating on your pitch.
3. Submit your Outline Proposal to the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP) for evaluation, within 2 months from APQ submission. 

Upon submission of an Outline Proposal: 
•    We may involve external experts in the proposal evaluation to coordinate activities within ESA Member States and the European Union.
•    We may ask you to address clarification points originating from the Outline Proposal evaluation.
•    If all clarification points are sufficiently addressed, we will prepare a project dossier and request approval from our Steering Board, which meets quarterly.
•    We will inform you about results and next steps.

Step 3: Full Proposal

If we invite you to submit a Full Proposal:

1. Register your team on esa-star Registration today! If your team is made up of more than one organisation, each entity will need to register.
2. Download the official tender documents from esa-star Publication.
3. Prepare your proposal using the official tender documents and reach out to your National Delegate to obtain a Letter of Authorisation.
4. Submit your proposal via esa-star Tendering within 4 months of OP submission.

Upon submission of a Full Proposal:
•    An independent board will evaluate your proposal against criteria set out in the tender documentation.
•    We may ask you to address clarification points identified during proposal evaluation and invite you to a negotiation meeting.
•    Upon successful negotiation, we will send you a contract for signature and agree the project kick-off.

Proposals will be reviewed periodically. Therefore, tenderers are advised to submit their activity pitch questionnaires at their earliest convenience throughout 2025, rather than waiting until the final deadline.
 

AUTHORISATION OF FUNDING

To qualify for funding, your team must be located in one of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Lithuania, or Slovakia.

If your company is based in Greece, Spain, or Canada, eligibility for funding requires that your idea is related to 5G technologies or includes a significant element concerning Safety and Security.

Teams based outside these Member States are not eligible for this funding call.

The funding level for your team depends on authorisation from the relevant national delegations. Therefore, bidding teams must obtain Letter(s) of Authorisation from the relevant national delegation(s) before submitting a Full Proposal. If a team includes companies from different Member States, each entity must request a Letter of Authorisation from their National Delegate.

Contact information for each national delegate is available here.

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