Under the Invest In Med(1) programme, more than 150 innovation and economic development networks in seven countries have undertaken to develop by 2013 a Mediterranean platform for innovation applied to the secure transport of containers.

The business and innovation community Med-Tracking, associating initially seven countries (Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Turkey and Ukraine), and based on the Réseau Méditerranéen des Ecoles d’Ingénieurs, RMEI (Mediterranean Engineering Schools Network)(2), was launched on November 26 2009 in Marseille. In addition to the members of the RMEI, the community associates representatives of port authorities, industry including companies such as CMA-CGM, MGI and Telespazio, representatives of transport ministries and the customs and researchers in logistics and transport. 

How to collect and manage information linked to the tracking of containers ? How to manage the risks of fraud and terrorism ? How to deal with problems of inter-operability between the different systems and technologies involved ?  In order to meet the challenges raised by the secure transport of containers and the difficulties related to costs and security issues, which have been the focus of widespread international debate, in particular since 9/11, the participants have decided to set up a community of interest and a series of actions which will provide a framework for exchanging best practices, accurately quantifying the stakes in terms of markets, identifying needs with regard to training for the players and preparing for specific actions (market studies, development of a prototype, pooling of research, training and test facilities) which should result in the achievement of strong investments by 2015

The Med-Tracking process is based on the analysis of end-user needs collected during the five workshops held at Marrakesh, Tangiers, Civitavecchia, Rome and Marseille and which will continue in Egypt and Turkey. A market and positioning study should provide a basis for delivering recommendations for specific actions which will be presented in March 2010 during the closing conference for this first phase focused on the definition of the project undertaken under the Invest in Med programme, which will be held in Italy at Civitavecchia.

Within the framework of the partnership between the RMEI and the Black Sea Universities Network, this programme and the Community have been extended to include the Black Sea.  A partnership with the European project METIS and the possible involvement of the consortium in the platforms developed by the French ministry of equipment, are also being considered.

The Community has appointed as spokesman Mr Gianni Moscherini, Mayor of Civitavecchia and former director of the Port of Rome and Latium, and as coordinator Prof. Léo Vincent, President of the RMEI.