Technological innovation in multimodal freight transport: key to growth and competitiveness Dr. Constantinos Antoniou Civil – Transportation Engineer TREDIT S.A. 387 Mesogeion Ave., 15341, Athens, Greece Tel: +30 210 6547797 Fax: +30 210 6549776 E-mail: c_antoniou@tredit.gr Mrs. Eliza Gagatsi Civil Engineer – MSc. Transportation Planner Dr. Yannis Tyrinopoulos Mathematician – Transportation Planner Hellenic Institute of Transport 6 th Km Charilaou-Thermi road, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece Tel.: +30 2310 498464 Fax: +30 2310 498269 E-mail: {lgagatsi,ytyrin}@certh.gr Abstract The objective of the paper is to identify problems and key challenges hampering the proliferation of multimodal transport in Europe and to demonstrate how technological innovations and best practices currently available in the European multimodal freight transport can be used to support high growth rates and the associated ambitious goals of the EC policy. The EU co-funded PROMIT project, in the framework of which the above innovations and best practices have been examined, is introduced. MIRTO, a recent best- practice research and development project in Greece is also presented. The paper concludes with recommendations towards the effective deployment of these innovations and best practices, particularly in the Greek multimodal transport environment. Keywords Multimodal transport, Information and communication technologies