Business models for dedicated container freight on Swedish inland waterways

Abstract

Modal shift from land to water is prioritized in transport policies throughout Europe. As indicated in earlier research on intermodal shift, new business models are needed for intermodal services to get a foothold in challenging markets. The purpose of the paper is to analyze business model development for inland waterway transport (IWT) in order to identify principal characteristics that support the switch from land to water. This paper reports on the development, and testing, of new business models for IWT services targeting containerized goods in West Sweden. The research is based on case studies of two recent entrepreneurial attempts to establish such services. From the case studies three business models were developed for stakeholders to evaluate. The tests were conducted through a stakeholder oriented multi-actor multi-criteria analysis (MAMCA). The results revealed strengths and weaknesses with the business models that have implications for the Swedish setting as well as general support for intermodal shift. The paper ends by discussing how stakeholders can support the development of viable business models for IWT.