The European Commission Directorate general for energy and transport has released Call for proposals under the multi-annual programme 2007-2013 for the year 2008. The the trans-European transport network itself shall be 45 million euros of which 20 million euros shall be devoted to the motorways of the Sea priority project.

Objective

The objective of the Motorways of the Sea priority project is to establish a trans-European network of Motorways of the Sea that concentrate flows of freight on viable, regular, frequent, high-quality and reliable sea-based transport services that are integrated in door to-door logistic chains. The aim of the network is to reduce road congestion by absorbing a significant part of the expected increase in road freight traffic and to improve access to peripheral and island regions and states.

• Motorway of the Baltic Sea (linking the Baltic Sea Member States with Member States in central and western Europe, including the route through the North Sea/Baltic Sea Canal (Kiel Canal)).
• Motorway of the sea of western Europe (leading from Portugal and Spain via the Atlantic Arc to the North Sea and the Irish Sea).
• Motorway of the sea of south-east Europe (connecting the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean to include Cyprus).
• Motorway of the sea of south-west Europe (western Mediterranean), connecting Spain, France, Italy and including Malta, and linking with the motorway of the sea of south-east Europe.

Proposals for this call for proposal, must be made by the 20th June 2008 to the Directorate General for Energy and Transport.