Italian ports expand railway network
Northern Italy’s ports are moving closer to Germany by rail. On 15 September, the terminal operator PSA will launch the ‘Stuttgart Express’ with the combined transport operator Cargobeamer between Genoa Pra’ and Kornwestheim on a round trip three times a week. At a conference event organised by the Italian Chamber of Commerce Munich-Stuttgart yesterday, the focus was on sustainable transport to and from the northern Italian ports. Alberto Pozzobon, Marketing Director at the Genoa and Savona Port Authority, expects the high-speed route ‘Terzo Valico’ from Genoa northwards as part of the Scandinavia-Mediterranean corridor to be completed in 2027. All terminals would be connected to the main line in parallel. Heiko Krebs, General Manager at combined transport operator Kombiverkehr, which serves the Mortara terminal near Milan, welcomes the expansion of Terzo Valico: ‘We will then be able to run 700-metre trains to Mortara.’
'We have closed gaps and above all worked on the efficiency of the railway,' reported the President of the Venice Port Authority, Fulvio Lino Di Blasio. He added that all terminals have rail connections. Meanwhile, Kombiverkehr offers round trips between Italy's most important railway port, Trieste, and Munich. Although Krebs is satisfied with the organisation in this port, he believes improvements are possible. Due to the decentralised port structure, Kombiverkehr has to 'shunt a bit'. Month-long route closures, which require detours, cause major problems. Vittorio Torbianelli, Special Commissioner at the Trieste Port Authority, emphasised that Italy’s leading rail port is already connected to Munich not only via the Brenner Pass, but also via the alternative Treviso axis.
Alessandro Cacciola, CEO of Andreas Schmid Group in Gersthofen, suggested partnerships between ports, operators and freight forwarders for a ‘sexy project’, including fulfilment services, for example. However, despite all the initiatives for sustainable transport, Krebs pointed out that price and service are what count in the end: ‘We are competing with the road.’ (kk)
