Busan and Rotterdam reunited again in the new year for the first time since the bilateral meetings in October. Both cities presented on their current implementation of mobility solutions and shared ideas about the discussion topics for future meetings and study visits.

Busan shared about the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and its implementation. The BRT system, also known as bus only lanes, contributes to general traffic punctuality and encourages high speed for public transportation. Thanks to the BRT, Busan was able to achieve the high numbers of transportation users, increase the bus utilization rate, and promote livable neighborhoods. By considering different factors like monitoring systems and traffic data, as well as seeking citizen engagement and feedback, Busan can implement a system that creates applied solutions.

Rotterdam is aiming for zero emissions by 2025. To achieve those goals, the city is experimenting with various solutions such as intelligent traffic lights and mobility hubs. Rotterdam is specifically focusing on the implementation of smart mobility and shared mobility, and demonstrated interest in Busan’s micro-mobility solutions, as Rotterdam is interested in deploying similar micro-mobility in the future.

During the Q&A, both cities had many questions for each other as they focused on highlighting potential areas of cooperation for pilot actions. Some of the areas identified by cities included: shared mobility, especially on the topic of kickboards that can be used to connect personal mobility with public transport, promoting public transport usage; smart mobility, particularly on the usage of data for the development of transport systems; and city and port logistics, with a strong focus on connecting logistics and mobility between harbours, airports, and the city.

The meeting closed with a conversation about the study visits scheduled to take place this year between Rotterdam and Busan. Rotterdam is planning to visit Busan around late April. On the other hand, Busan is planning to visit Rotterdam later in the year, near October. Both cities expressed strong interest in visiting each other to develop and further their partnership and joint actions.