On Wednesday, 7 May, the first Slovenian DAC Forum took place in Ljubljana. It was jointly organised by SEESARI, the Institute of Transport and Traffic Ljubljana, and the Ministry of Infrastructure of the Republic of Slovenia. The Forum marked an important milestone in the digitalisation of rail freight transport in Slovenia and the wider region, with a strong focus on the deployment of Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC)—a new standard for freight wagon coupling that enables automated and digital connections between wagons, significantly enhancing safety, efficiency, and interoperability in European rail freight.
The event brought together key stakeholders from the Slovenian rail sector, including freight railway undertakings, the infrastructure manager, the Ministry of Infrastructure, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, as well as international guests—most notably Libor Lochman, DAC Ambassador, and Jens Engelmann, Programme Manager within the European DAC Delivery Programme (EDDP).
Peter Verlič, Chairman of SEESARI, opened the event and emphasised the importance of regional cooperation in innovation and research projects related to DAC. Aleksandar Dobrijević, the national contact point for DAC in Slovenia, actively contributed to the forum’s organisation and led parts of the discussion, particularly those related to the national implementation strategy.
The introductory presentation provided an overview of the current state of DAC technology development at the European level, followed by discussions on the specific characteristics and challenges of the Slovenian freight rail system.
The first DAC Forum in Slovenia was very well received, with strong engagement from participants. The event reflected a shared recognition of the need for timely preparedness and close cooperation among all stakeholders in the digital transformation of rail freight transport.
