ERASMUS CENTRE FOR URBAN,PORT AND TRANSPORT ECONOMICS BV

Their core work

RHV BV is a Rotterdam-based research centre affiliated with Erasmus University, specializing in the economics of urban transport, port logistics, and sustainable mobility. They study how cities, airports, and seaports function as interconnected economic systems — analyzing externalities, social impacts, and the transition to greener transport modes. Their applied research bridges urban governance questions (how cities manage tourism, mobility, and social inclusion) with hard logistics challenges (multimodal freight, TEN-T networks, aviation decarbonization). Located in Europe's largest port city, they bring a distinctive port-and-city economics lens to transport research.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

RHV BV entered H2020 in 2020 with a dual focus: urban social dynamics (smart cities, social exclusion, tourism externalities) alongside global trade logistics (geoeconomics, blockchain in supply chains, synchromodality). By 2021, their newer projects shifted decisively toward green transport infrastructure — greenhouse gas reduction, hydrogen, electric vehicles, sustainable aviation fuels, and digital twins. The trajectory shows a clear pivot from studying transport systems as they are to actively modeling how they decarbonize.

RHV BV is moving from descriptive transport economics toward applied decarbonization research for ports and airports, making them increasingly relevant for green infrastructure projects.

How they like to work

RHV BV has never coordinated an H2020 project — they join as a participant or third-party expert, contributing economic analysis and modelling rather than leading project management. With 118 unique partners across 21 countries from just 4 projects, they operate in very large consortia (averaging ~30 partners per project). This pattern suggests they are brought in as a specialized economics contributor to major transport infrastructure initiatives, not as a project driver.

Despite only 4 projects, RHV BV has connected with 118 unique partners across 21 countries, reflecting participation in large-scale European transport consortia. Their network is broad and pan-European rather than concentrated in any single region.

What sets them apart

RHV BV occupies a rare niche at the intersection of transport economics, port operations, and urban governance — grounded in Rotterdam, Europe's largest port city. Unlike engineering-focused transport research centres, they bring an economist's lens: cost-benefit analysis, externality modelling, and socioeconomic impact assessment. For any consortium needing economic justification or impact modelling for a transport or logistics project, they are a natural fit as a specialized contributor.

Highlights from their portfolio

• STARGATE
  Their largest funded project (EUR 776K), focused on sustainable airports covering hydrogen, SAF, EVs, and digital twins — a comprehensive airport decarbonization effort running until 2026.
• PLANET
  Addressed the integration of TEN-T corridors into global trade networks using blockchain and physical internet concepts — unusually forward-looking logistics research.
• SMARTDEST
  Tackled the often-overlooked social exclusion dimension of urban mobility and tourism, combining smart city technology with equity concerns.