“The UIC Global Rail Freight Conferences – GRFC- have become the worldwide reference for all decision-makers and all professionals participating in the development and operations of rail freight and logistics services across the globe. Every two years GRFC is the place to be for the global railway and transport community –including shipping lines, ports, intermodal operators- , representatives of international organizations with competence in international transport issues, as well as customers. The 3rd GRFC held in 2012 in Tangier, Morocco, was focused on partnership between rail freight, industries, ports, shipping lines, in particular in the Mediterranean region.
The 4th edition of the UIC Global Rail Freight Conference jointly organized with Austrian Federal railways ÖBB and Rail Cargo Group on 23-26 June 2014 in Vienna, will highlight the chances for rail freight resulting from improved harmonization and interoperability at continental and even intercontinental level. In this respect we are particularly happy to welcome heads of international organisations such as OTIF and United Nations’ UNECE who will present the contribution and action of their respective organizations for the development of seamless freight transport. A number of speakers from the transport world as well as customers will address all aspects of harmonization from the technical, operational, commercial as well as legal viewpoint.
This 4th UIC GRFC edition held in Vienna will provide an excellent opportunity to learn more about projects of long distance rail freight corridors, as they are already being tested or even implemented. Corridors such as Euro-Asian corridors using the Transsiberian route or the North-South corridor through Central Asia, or also the “New Silk Road” linking Turkey in the West to Far-East Asia are fascinating projects on the way to become reality. The presentations and exchanges in GRFC will allow to get a clear picture of the current status and progress in these projects.
In organizing the Global Rail Freight Conference with its members, UIC aims to promote all the efforts and results obtained by the railway community to cope effectively with challenges of the global freight market and offer high-quality, innovative logistics solutions in close cooperation with all other partners involved.
We will be particularly happy to welcome you at the 4th GRFC Conference in Vienna and to exchange with you on all these promising developments and perspectives.”
Jean-Pierre Loubinoux
Director-General , International Union of Railways (UIC)
The 4th UIC Global Rail Freight Conference will take place in Vienna, Austria.
Vienna is a meeting point of Western and Eastern Europe, a vital, thriving city that is a blend of different cultural influences. Both traditional and thoroughly modern, it has a unique atmosphere and is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Following a series of successful editions that each attracted several hundred participants to Delhi (2007), Saint-Petersburg (2010) and Tangier (2012), the 4th edition of the UIC Global Rail Freight Conference – "GRFC 2014" – will take place from 23 – 26 June in Vienna. This international event, which has become a worldwide reference for all actors and decision-makers involved in rail freight and logistics business, is jointly organised by UIC, Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Rail Cargo Group (Member of ÖBB) with the support of Europoint, the professional conference organiser. The conference will be held at the Hilton Stadtpark Vienna, a convenient venue in the centre of the city.
The central theme of the "GRFC 2014" is "Seamless Transport Chains through Harmonisation – Success Stories and Global Perspectives for Rail Freight". It will offer a key opportunity to address all the strategic issues of rail freight development focusing on the management and harmonisation framework, new products and multimodal partnerships, international corridors, new technological trends...
The aim of the GRFC conference is to develop benchmarking and exchange of best practice at global level and to stimulate new partnerships between all stakeholders and actors involved. The UIC Global Rail Freight Conference is the place to be every two years for decision-makers from the political, economic and transport world, top rail executives, customers and business partners from the logistics and transport sector, high-level representatives of international institutions and professional associations from across the globe.
The sessions of the 4th UIC Global Rail Freight Conference will focus on the latest developments and perspectives in the following areas:
- "Harmonisation of Procedures and Standardisation"
- "Spatial Planning and Rail Freight"
- "Logistics and Integration on Rail Corridors"
- "How to gain new Market Shares?"
- "Innovation and New Technological Trends", etc.
In parallel to the conference and session programme, "GRFC 2014" will host a professional trade exhibition at the Hilton Stadtpark Vienna.
This exhibition will offer a high visibility to all actors of rail freight and global logistics and to all partners and institutions cooperating with the rail sector to develop effective rail freight transport systems across the globe.