On 25 March 2026, the Port of Trieste hosted the event “Digitalising the Road Last Mile for Ports and Multimodal Freight Terminals: Data Sharing and Interoperability for Efficient Freight Flows”, bringing together around 100 participants in presence and 20 online.
Organised by the Port Network Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea in cooperation with the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and the Interporto di Trieste, the event gathered representatives of European institutions, national and regional authorities, port authorities, intermodal terminals, infrastructure managers and logistics operators.
The discussions focused on one of the most critical challenges for European transport systems: improving the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of the road last mile, particularly at key TEN-T nodes. In this context, digitalisation and data interoperability emerged as essential enablers for better coordination of freight flows and more efficient use of existing infrastructure.
The MERIDIAN project was presented as a key initiative contributing to this transformation by addressing logistics flows at corridor level. While many solutions focus on individual nodes, MERIDIAN promotes a broader approach, supporting data exchange and coordination across ports, terminals and hinterland connections along major European transport corridors.
The event also highlighted the importance of aligning different EU funding programmes and projects working on complementary aspects of the same challenge. Experiences from initiatives such as ACCESSMILE, MILEPORT, PRESPORT and ELODIE demonstrated how testing, deployment and integration can be combined to generate tangible improvements in logistics operations.
Particular attention was given to the role of digital solutions, including real-time traffic management systems, slot booking tools and interoperable data platforms, which can significantly improve the organisation of truck flows and reduce congestion in port access areas.
At the same time, the discussions underlined that digitalisation must go hand in hand with sustainability objectives, contributing to the reduction of emissions and supporting the broader twin transition of the transport sector.
Overall, the event confirmed the need to move from isolated interventions to coordinated, corridor-based approaches, where data sharing and interoperability play a central role. In this perspective, MERIDIAN contributes to building a more connected, efficient and sustainable European logistics system, linking ports and hinterland networks within an integrated framework.
The meeting has been recorded, and is available at these links: part 1 and part 2.