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01 July 2025 - Year XXIX
Independent journal on economy and transport policy
18:07 GMT+2
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FORUM of Shipping
and Logistics

ESPO
ANNUAL REPORT 2006-2007

 

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Introduction

It is important that policy initiatives are based on a sound knowledge of market processes. This is especially relevant in the context of the preparations for a European seaport policy which the European Commission has embarked upon in 2006 and which is expected to lead to a concrete action plan in Autumn 2007.

The first main section of this report aims to provide input to this process by analysing the following five markets: the container market, the RoRo market, the market for conventional cargo, the liquid bulk market and the dry bulk market. Detailed statistics on cargo handling in European seaports are provided as well as an overview of main developments and trends in each of the market segments. The report aims for a balanced approach covering all port regions in Europe and large as well as mid-sized and small ports.

The second section provides an overview of relevant European policy initiatives and ESPO activities in the period 2006/2007. It concentrates on the above-mentioned European port policy review but also on the parallel maritime policy consultation. In addition, developments in the field of transport policy, environment as well as safety and security are highlighted.

 

The market environment of ports in 2005/2006

Economic growth and seaborne trade

The global economy has been transformed in recent years by the fall of international barriers to the flow of goods, services, capital and labour, and a marked acceleration in the pace of technological and scientific progress. Technological advances have created new opportunities for businesses against the background of an increasingly complex global economy, while reductions in the cost of transport and communication are spurring companies to move operations to lower cost environments. This has resulted in new growth markets such as China (real GDP growth of 10.2% in 2005 and 10.5% in 2006), India (8.5% both in 2005 and 2006), Turkey (7.4% and 6% respectively) and parts of Central and Eastern Europe. After a year of frail economic growth in 2005, GDP growth in Europe rebound in 2006 to around 3%. The strongest growers in 2006 were Latvia (11.9%), Estonia (10.9%), Slovakia (8%) and Romania (6%). Over the 2007-2012 period, GDP in the Euro Zone is expected to rise on average by 2% per annum.

The growth of the economy is reflected on maritime transportation. International seaborne trade increased by an estimated 3.8% in 2005 to reach a total volume of 7.11 billion tons. Total demand for shipping services reached about 29 billion ton-miles in 2005, representing an increase of 5.1% compared to the year before. Europe remains a massive importer of crude oil and petroleum products with more than half a billion tons in 2005. Europe also remained the largest dry cargo market with more than a billion tons of exports (22.7% of world total) and over 1.5 billion tons of imports (32.3%).

 

The container market

Container shipping has been the fastest growing sector of the maritime industries during the last two decades. Both the Far East-Europe and Transpacific trade have enjoyed healthy 8-9% growth in 2006, and this is expected to continue throughout 2007-2008 as well. The Transatlantic market is significantly smaller (albeit still very important) and also has much lower annual growth rates. Container trade between Europe and Latin America (including Central America, the Caribbean and South America) saw an increase of nearly 16% in two years time. Intra-European containerized trade saw an increase of 19% between 2004 and 2006. Many of the trades continue to be characterized by major imbalances, thereby putting a lot of pressure on box logistics and equipment management.

Total throughput handled by the world's container ports grew at an average rate of 11% per year in the last five years. Major drivers are increased transhipment traffic and the high growth rates in Asian/Chinese container ports. But also quite a number of European container ports are recording double digit growth figures. Total container throughput in Europe accounts for some 18% of the world total. The top fifteen ports in Europe saw a container throughput of around 54 million teu in 2006, the top three 25.6 million teu. The Le Havre - Hamburg range remains the leading port range in Europe, but a significant number of ports in the West-Mediterranean (in particular Spanish ports), the Black Sea and the Baltic have witnessed healthy growth rates as well. The highest growth rates in 2006 have been realized by Amsterdam, Sines, Zeebrugge, Bremerhaven, Constanza, Gdynia, Tallinn, Kotka and Rauma. The top five strongest growers in TEU terms were Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Constanza, together adding some 2.7 million TEU to total European port throughput in 2006.

Road transport is still by far the dominant transport mode in most of Europe's seaports. Modal shift policies are implemented throughout Europe and these policies are starting to pay off on some multimodal inland corridors. However, rail and inland navigation still have not reached their maximum potential. The prospects for rail and barge in smaller ports and new load centers in a start-up phase remain rather precarious.

The period 2005-2006 will be remembered as the era of major consolidation in the container market. Substantial take-over activity took place both on the shipping lines' side (where mergers have created a handful of gigantic companies controlling several hundred ships, and where a handful of European shortsea operators turned out to be in a very acquisitive mood) as well as on the side of the container terminal operators (with the take-over of P&O Ports by DP World and PSA's acquisition of a 20% stake in Hutchison Port Holding's global terminal portfolio as the most cited events). The top-20 container shipping lines carried an estimated 88 million full teu during 2006 or 80% of the world total. Some industry observers argue that we could be on the verge of further consolidation in the liner shipping industry in the years to come. The top-10 terminal operators handle some 55% of the world container throughput. The current situation in the terminal operating sector is somewhat comparable to that of the liner shipping industry, where the four largest shipping lines also control some 40% of the market.

Both major shipping lines and global terminal operators have been very active in securing terminal capacity. The trend towards more carrier involvement in terminals has not escaped the European port scene. Nowadays a substantial number of container terminals in North and South Europe feature a shipping line among their shareholders (in most cases as a minority shareholder).

Finally, the coming years will bring a massive influx of new container tonnage, and the introduction of ever larger post-panamax ships on the arterial trade routes.

 

The RoRo market

RoRo volumes handled in European seaports

Combined European RoRo throughput amounted to 415 million tons in 2005, of which ports in the United Kingdom handled about one quarter. Other major RoRo countries include Italy, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Spain, the Netherlands and Finland. Dover remains the largest European RoRo port followed by Calais, Zeebrugge, Lübeck, Immingham, Rotterdam, Trelleborg and Göteborg.

Seaborne vehicle trade and port volumes

The vehicle manufacturing industry has been characterized by an ever-increasing degree of concentration and globalisation over the last few decades. Emerging markets in Asia, the Middle East, South Africa, Eastern Europe, Russia or South America have rapidly gained in importance in recent years. In Europe the main axes of car assembly and supplier activities are increasingly being complemented by strong developments in Eastern and Central Europe. Seaborne trades are nowadays increasingly focusing on the developing economies and emerging markets mentioned above. About 20-25% of the world car production was exported by ship from their country of manufacture. Europe produces about 20 million new cars on an annual basis with only a relatively small amount of their output exported overseas. Japan and South Korea are the main drivers of maritime export flows.

The main vehicle ports in Europe are Zeebrugge, Bremerhaven, Emden, Antwerp, Barcelona and Southampton. In some of these ports, car carrier operators have invested in dedicated hub terminals from which other destinations are feedered, although a typical roundtrip for a large PCTC nowadays still counts five or six ports in Europe. As far as the European market is concerned, maritime transport of cars is expected to increase steadily over the years to come driven by strong growth in Russia, Eastern Europe and Turkey. The leading deepsea car carrier operators are also heavily involved in the intra-European shortsea trades. This combination of deepsea and regional service provision is part of the general trend towards the 'one stop shop/total service logistics package' which operators now have to provide to vehicle manufacturers to retain their business.

Shortsea - Ferries

The markets are being characterized by an increasing focus on freight transport (and thus a reduced focus on passenger transport), less duty-free sales and the deployment of faster and more modern ships. The Mediterranean has witnessed a tonnage rejuvenation in recent years. Important ferry links are Germany/Sweden, Denmark/Sweden, England-Wales/Ireland, England/Scandinavia, Calais/Dover, Valencia/Barcelona to the islands and North Africa, Marseille/Corsica and North Africa, Sicily/Sardinia, Greece, the Adriatic Sea and Tunisia/Algeria/Morocco.

Shortsea - Unaccompanied freight transport

The market for unaccompanied freight transport is booming and for most geographical regions is being characterized by scale increases (larger vessels), a shortage of vessels and a rather old age profile of the fleet. In Scandinavia substantial volumes of paper and forest products from local manufacturers are exported via this way. Another major market for unaccompanied RoRo freight transport is the North Sea. Containers are expected to increase their penetration on the shortsea trade routes. The market between North Europe and the Mediterranean remains a very difficult market for unaccompanied RoRo-transport, due to fierce competition from road transport.

Deepsea - Liner trades with RoRo-facilities

In the past, the deployment of ConRo vessels was very popular on certain liner trades to the Middle East, West Africa, South America and Russia, where facilities to handle ships were rather limited in certain ports. As for today, the ConRo concept has almost completely faded away on the deepsea routes. It does, however, still survive on certain Western African and South American trades.

 

The market for conventional general cargo

The container has been able to swiftly conquer a substantial share of the total general cargo market as demonstrated by an increasing container penetration rate. However, despite the container boom, breakbulk shipping has started flourishing again in recent years due to growing economies in the Far East as well as Brazil, Russia and Southern Africa and the rising demand for oil and gas equipment and building materials. The volume of breakbulk cargo shipped overseas is estimated to be in the region of 400-450 million tons per year. The submarkets in breakbulk shipping include conventional liner-type concepts, barge carriers, container ships, forest products carriers, heavy lift and project carriers, conventional reeferships and RoRo ships.

General cargo ships represented just 10% of the total dwt capacity of the world merchant fleet at mid-2006, whereas this was 12% at the beginning of 2002. The general cargo ship fleet is also of relatively high age.

European seaports handled a total throughput of 253 million tons of conventional general cargo in 2005. The lion's share of conventional general cargo was handled in ports in Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Finland and France. Antwerp is the market leader with a volume of 17.4 million tons in 2005. Other major conventional general cargo ports include Rotterdam, Taranto, Dunkirk and Valencia. More than 200 ports in Europe handled less than half a million ton of conventional general cargo traffic in 2005. Generally speaking, the handling of conventional general cargo is confronted with ever-tighter handling space in many seaports in Europe (as more and more square metres are consumed by containers) and, given the strong labour intensity, it is also very sensitive to labour-related issues.

 

The liquid bulk market

The seaborne liquid bulk trade amounted to 2.42 billion tons in 2005, of which 77% crude oil and 23% oil products. Loadings and unloadings in Europe amounted to half a billion tons of crude oil and 146 million tons of oil products. The liquid bulk ships represent 40.9% in the world fleet (in dwt), mainly oil tankers. The fleet of liquid gas tankers (LNG and LPG) is swiftly gaining market share.

European seaports handled a total throughput of 1.58 billion tons of liquid bulk traffic in 2005. The lion's share of this volume was handled in ports in the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, France and Spain. These five countries accounted for around 1 billion tons of liquid bulk traffic. On an individual port basis, by far the biggest liquid bulk port in Europe is Rotterdam, handling nearly 170 million tons in 2005, mainly thanks to a favourable nautical accessibility and the presence of major petrochemical clusters in Rotterdam and Antwerp. Other major liquid bulk ports include Bergen Ports (Norway), Marseille and Le Havre (France), Wilhelmshaven (Germany), Tees & Hartlepool, Milford Haven, Forth and Southampton (UK), Antwerp (Belgium), and Trieste and Augusta (Italy). No less than 185 ports handled less than 1 million ton of liquid bulk cargo in 2005.

 

The dry bulk market

A world total volume 4.69 billion tons of dry cargo was shipped in 2005. The five major bulks (iron ore, coal, grains, bauxite/alumina and rock phosphate) accounted for 37% of this volume, while minor dry bulks and other dry cargoes (containerized cargo and other general cargo, including RoRo) had a share of 20% and 43% respectively. European seaports handled a total throughput of about 2.6 billion tons of dry bulk traffic. The share of dry bulk ships in the world fleet slightly decreased from 41.4% at the beginning of 2002 to 40.9% at mid-2006. Vessels above 100,000 dwt provide some 33% of the dwt capacity.

European ports handled a total throughput of 977 million tons of dry bulk in 2005. The lion's share of this volume was handled in ports in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and France. Also here, by far the biggest dry bulk port is Rotterdam, handling nearly 88 million tons of dry bulk traffic in 2005. Other major dry bulk ports include Hamburg (Germany), Antwerp (Belgium), Dunkirk (France), Taranto (Italy) and Amsterdam (Netherlands).

 

Key implications of market developments for European ports

There is no lack of port competition in Europe. Battles are fought on many fronts: maritime and hinterland access, terminal capacity, but above all the accommodation of supply chains. The European port scene is becoming more diverse in terms of number of ports involved and the scope of port functions and services, leading to more routing options to shippers.

Growing concerns on capacity shortages in ports have made supply chain managers base their port choice decisions increasingly on reliability and capacity considerations next to pure cost considerations. To be successful, ports have to think along with the customer, to try to figure out what his needs are, not only in the port, but throughout the supply chains and networks. Port authorities can be a catalyst in this process, even though their direct impact on the routing of cargo flows is limited. Such a catalyst role requires a supply chain focus and an institutional and governance framework that encourages collective actions in the port community.

The growing mismatch between the demand for container shipping services and the supply of terminal capacity continues to be the main reason for observed schedule unreliability in liner services. Port congestion and associated decreasing schedule integrity affect the integrity of entire supply chains. It is therefore a joint responsibility of port managers, policy makers and other stakeholders to foster seaports and the broader networks of which they are part, to look after their well-being and to safeguard their future development potential. It has become crucial to have an institutional and procedural framework in place that is conducive to potential investors.

Against the background of supply chains, competitive forces are shifted to groups of spatially-dispersed but functionally-integrated terminals in different ports. New entrants in the terminal market typically meet the requirements for maritime accessibility and terminal layout. However, they often have to tackle major issues such as securing hinterland services, dealing with stakeholder-related procedures linked to large terminal projects and improving their cargo-generating and cargo-binding potential.

European seaports are competing fiercely to extend their hinterlands across frontiers. This has opened new routing options to shippers and shipping lines and has intensified the battle for contestable cargo. Even regions close to a port are often not captive to that specific port. Container port competition has broadened and altered spatial hierarchy, in the sense that ports in the traditionally dominant Hamburg-Le Havre range are increasingly facing competition from container ports in other European port ranges, primarily for serving hinterland regions in the periphery of the core of the EU. The rise of economic centres in Eastern and Central Europe creates opportunities for all ports to develop short sea shipping services and water- and land-based hub-feeder networks to these areas.

Most ports have achieved a considerable modal shift in hinterland transport, but rail and inland navigation still have not reached their maximum potential. Modal shift policies are implemented throughout Europe and these policies are starting to pay off on some multimodal inland corridors. Hinterland connections of smaller ports and terminals in a start-up phase however remain rather precarious. For the time being, the absence of critical mass complicates a further modal shift in many ports around Europe and impedes the development of new multimodal corridors.

The changing logistics environment poses new challenges in the relations between seaports and inland ports. The development of multimodal corridors enhances the interaction between seaports and inland locations and as such leads to the development of large logistics poles consisting of several logistics zones. This trend towards geographical concentration of distribution platforms in many cases occurs spontaneously as the result of a slow, market-driven process. Supranational, national, regional and/or local authorities have a role to play in facilitating the process towards a further adaptation of the port system to the imperatives of distribution systems.

Finally, port authorities and port companies must demonstrate a high level of environmental performance in order to ensure community support and to attract trading partners and potential investors. A number of ports are lading the way. Their experiences can also help other ports in learning to cope with the present avalanche of environmental challenges.

 

EU policy developments and ESPO activities in 2006/2007

A year of consultation

The period 2006-2007 will no doubt be remembered as one of intensive consultation on the future of both Europe's policy for ports and for the maritime sector as a whole.

The partial approach of the late port services' Directive did not only ignore the overall added value of ports for Europe's trade, economy and welfare, but also overlooked fundamental market developments such as the scale increase of shipping and the growing influence of intermodal carriers and global terminal operators. Not in the least, problems partially created by European legislation itself, such as in the field of the environment, were for a long time considered taboo.

The Commission's new approach, both in the context of the port policy review and the maritime policy Green Paper, is refreshingly different. It not only provides room for genuine consultation and debate, it also takes a much broader perspective, doing justice to the significant and multifaceted role seaports play in European society.

 

A port policy for all seasons - Ten years after the Kinnock Green Paper

It is in a sense remarkable that ten years after the Green Paper on Sea Ports and Maritime Infrastructure, initiated in 1997 by the then Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock, a policy for seaports has not materialised yet.

ESPO however believes that seaports cannot do without a sector-specific EU framework. The sector is in many aspects too important for the European Union to leave it governed by the current unclear patchwork of measures or subject to case-by-case initiatives without an overall and coherent policy vision.

Relevant themes for such a policy framework include market access to port services, the role of port authorities, port financing and charging, sustainable port development and the environment, port labour and technical-nautical services, ports and the supply chain, competition with non-EU ports and the public perception of seaports.

Policy however does not automatically mean producing new legislation. A combination of providing guidance, stimulating best practice and reviewing existing law where necessary is the overall course that ESPO has taken in preparing its input for the Commission's port policy consultation which will be concluded at the ESPO Annual Conference in Algeciras on 31 May-1 June 2007. ESPO hopes that the Commission Communication and Action Plan which are expected to result from the exercise in autumn 2007, will adopt a similar approach.

 

Integrating ports in the supply chain

ESPO very much welcomes the realistic course set by the mid-term review of the Transport Policy White Paper. The mid-term review implicitly recognises that growth in transport is here to stay. It abandons previous theoretical thinking that transport growth can be decoupled from economic growth. ESPO also supports the sensible "co-modality" concept which judges each transport mode upon its own merits and introduces measures to improve the environmental performance of all.

It is most doubtful whether theoretical solutions such as infrastructure "smart" charging can achieve modal shift objectives. The priority is to ensure that existing EU measures in the field of railway transport, inland navigation and Trans-European Transport Networks are enforced so that service levels and infrastructure capacity are improved.

The changing logistics environment introduces new challenges for the relations between seaports and inland ports. ESPO and the European Federation of Inland Ports (EFIP) have underlined the importance of such networks by formalising their co-operation at EU level through a "Platform of European Sea and Inland Ports" which took effect in May 2007.

The Commission's proposal to establish a Common Maritime Space for Europe is a welcome initiative, provided its sole purpose is to give intra-European shipping the same flexibility in administrative terms as land-based transport modes.

The concept of the Common Maritime Space is closely linked to the development of Motorways of the Sea. Artificially setting up Motorways of the Sea services with European funding however entails the risk that cargo is simply shifted from existing services and ports rather than from roads.

 

Sustainable development of ports - Maritime Green Paper brings new élan

The development of Motorways of the Sea implicitly begs the controversial question whether traffic in Europe should be concentrated on a number of hub ports or should be distributed over a wider set of smaller ports. This question is also raised by the European Commission's Maritime Policy Green Paper.

ESPO's answer is very clear: it is not for EU decision-makers to indicate where port development should take place. The bottom-up principle should be fostered whereby project proposals are based on market needs. Local port management is best placed to assess these needs. The present European port system moreover shows a healthy balance between large, medium-sized and small ports, which all have their specific role to play.

ESPO has nevertheless warmly welcomed the Commission's Green Paper as it is one of the first EU documents that recognises the legal uncertainties that exist with regard to the application of nature conservation legislation, as for instance outlined in ESPO's new Code of Practice on the Birds and Habitats Directives. Despite proactive behaviour of port managers, seeking win-win solutions with NGOs and other stakeholders, these uncertainties continue to cause substantial delays for many projects, thus contributing to the growing mismatch between demand and supply of port and port-related capacity in European seaports.

The Green Paper introduces maritime spatial planning as a tool to create greater legal certainty for both nature and economic development. ESPO believes there may be added value in this concept for ports provided it is not only based on ecological criteria, refrains from port planning at EU level, avoids overlap with existing planning instruments and simplifies current consent procedures for port development projects and port operations such as dredging.

Another merit of the Green Paper is that it has brought the theme of maritime identity to the forefront. Creating a positive image of the port sector and improving the public acceptance of ports is also one of the prime objectives of ESPO.

 

Maritime safety and security

Pro-active behaviour of port authorities in the field of the environment goes hand in hand with a similar attitude regarding safety of navigation and port operations as well as port security. These are typical public responsibilities of port authorities, regardless of their ownership or management structures.

ESPO has therefore adopted a constructive approach throughout the political discussions on the series of maritime safety packages that have seen the light of day since the Erika and Prestige accidents. ESPO has in particular supported proposals to install an adequate response system to deal with ships in distress seeking a place of refuge. Such a system should however ensure adequate compensation for port authorities in case a ship in distress were to cause local damage, be it of human, environmental or economic nature.

In the field of port security, things have moved from the terminal level to that of the port area as such. By June 2007, Member States have to implement the port security Directive, which introduces ISPS-type measures for the overall port area. Key principle for ESPO is that measures, be they applied to the port perimeter or to specific equipment and installations within a port, should be risk-based. This implies that ports should - at low risk level - remain generally accessible.

With the ISPS Code and the port security Directive firmly in place, ESPO believes that Europe should now fully concentrate its security efforts on other parts of the supply chain.

 

BACK TO INDEX

 

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Singapore
Ports concerned about lack of certainty about demand from shipping companies
The EU Commission has re-identified Port Said East and Tanger Med as neighbouring container transhipment ports
Brussels
Road haulage extends congestion fee application to Livorno port
Livorno/Rome/Milan/Genoa
Fedespedi, they do not solve the problems, but have the only effect of increasing costs
The new Border Control Post has been inaugurated in the port of Livorno
Leghorn
The structure cost 15 million euros
The transfer of 80% of Louis-Dreyfus Armateurs' capital to InfraVia has been implemented
Suresnes/Paris
The Louis-Dreyfus family retains the remaining 20%
Port of Genoa, green light for extension of concession to Spinelli until September 30
Genoa
Ok also to the extension to the Campostano group
The National Maritime Fund has started the recognition of scholarships
Genoa
They are granted for basic training and security familiarization courses.
RFI and MIT sign the update to the program contract for approximately 2.1 billion
Rome
Around 500 million euros expected for the management of the railway network
San Giorgio del Porto delivers a vessel for the bunkering of liquefied natural gas
Genoa
It was built for Genova Trasporti Marittimi
Pisano (AdSP Liguria Orientale): the ports of La Spezia and Carrara have integrated almost perfectly
La Spezia/Bari
Extraordinary Commissioner of the Southern Adriatic Sea Port Authority appointed
Raffaele Latrofa appointed president of the AdSP of the Central-Northern Tyrrhenian Sea
Rome
He is the deputy mayor of Pisa
India's Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Acquires Control of Sri Lanka's Colombo Dockyard
Mumbai
Investment of approximately 53 million dollars
The Commissioner of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority has been granted the powers and prerogatives of the Management Committee
Genoa
The measure pending the restoration of the ordinary top management bodies
The Three-Year Operational Plan 2025-2027 of the Central Adriatic Port Authority has been approved
Ancona
Favorable opinion of the Sea Resource Partnership Body
The public meeting of the International Containers Studies Center will be held in Genoa on July 2nd
Genoa
It will deal with the physical transformations of the container and the digitalization of processes
Andrea Ormesani is the new president of Assosped Venezia
Venice
The board of directors has been renewed. Paolo Salvaro remains general secretary
Witte (ISU): In 2024, the ship salvage sector stabilized from the low of two years ago
London
Finnish Elomatic to Install Tunnel Thrusters on 11 Carnival Cruise Ships
Turku
The works will begin next autumn and will end in 2028
The Assarmatori assembly will be held in Rome on July 1st
Rome
"Mediterranean against the current" the theme of the meeting
Fincantieri has delivered the new cruise ship Viking Vesta to the American Viking
Trieste/Los Angeles
It was built in the Ancona shipyard
The Genoa Coast Guard has placed the container ship PL Germany under administrative detention
Genoa
Italian Navy orders two new Multipurpose Combat Ships from Fincantieri
Trieste
The order to the shipbuilding company is worth 700 million euros
MSC Group to manage cruise services in the ports of Bari and Brindisi
Bari
Ten-year concession with possibility of extension
German Kombiverkehr Returns to Profit in 2024
Frankfurt am Main
The level of revenues remained unchanged at 434.6 million euros.
Deltamarin to design the six new ro-pax vessels ordered by Grimaldi for the Mediterranean routes
Turku
SAILING LIST
Visual Sailing List
Departure ports
Arrival ports by:
- alphabetical order
- country
- geographical areas
The practice of subcontracting in European logistics is creating a parallel labour market where rights are not enforced
Brussels
"Sorry, We Subcontracted You" Report Presented
Tomorrow Grendi will launch the group's fourth ship on routes to and from Sardinia
Milan
"Grendi Star", with a load capacity of 2,800 linear meters, will connect Marina di Carrara and Cagliari
FREMM frigates operational support contract signed between Orizzonte Sistemi Navali and OCCAR
Taranto
The agreement has a total value of approximately 764 million euros
Call to reform the entire driver training system in the transport sector
Rome
Seven proposals presented
In the port of Gioia Tauro, the Guardia di Finanza soldiers seized 228 kilos of cocaine
Reggio Calabria
Two dockers arrested
Port of Livorno, new observatory to find solutions to the problem of port congestion
Leghorn
Marilli: We will seek solutions to reach the possible revocation of the port fee
Lockton PL Ferrari closed the last fiscal year with gross revenues of 34 million dollars
Genoa
Insurance premium volume rose to 350 million
Polish Trans Polonia Group acquires Dutch Nijman/Zeetank Holding
Tczew
It specializes in the transportation and logistics of liquid and gaseous products
d'Amico Tankers Sells Two 2011-Built Tankers for $36.2 Million
Luxembourg
They will be delivered to buyers by the end of July and on December 21st.
The Italian Merchant Marine Academy plans 13 new free courses
Genoa
Over 300 positions available
A delegation of Wista Italy visits the ports of Catania and Augusta
Catania/August
The association is made up of women who hold positions of responsibility in the maritime, logistics and trade sectors.
In the first five months of 2025, the port of Algeciras handled 1.9 million containers (-6.3%)
Algeciras
Empty containers decreased by -5.5% and full ones by -6.4%
Reway Group enters the port railway infrastructure maintenance sector
Licciana Nardi
Two contracts awarded by the AdSP of the Eastern Ligurian Sea
Delcomar and Ensamar take over maritime services with the smaller Sardinian islands
Cagliari
The tender for the six-year concession of the connections has been awarded
Port of Trieste, the newly appointed Gurrieri torpedoes the newly appointed Torbianelli
Trieste
Russo (Pd): it's a squalid power game
Singapore's SeaLead expands its maritime shipping offering to connect Turkey and Italy
Singapore
Route connected to services transiting the Suez Canal
The US Container Security Initiative program has been extended to Morocco
Rabat
Amrani: Let's consolidate Tanger Med's role as a safe and world-class maritime hub
Very positive first quarter for Greek Euroseas
Athens
Pittas: the positive momentum continued in the second quarter
Assonat and SACE present a plan for Italian tourist ports
Rome
Kuehne+Nagel has opened a new branch in Naples
Milan
The aim is to support the operational growth of the group in Southern Italy
RINA has acquired the entire capital of Finnish Foreship
Helsinki
The Helsinki-based company specializes in consulting in the field of marine and mechanical engineering.
Container traffic down at Barcelona and Valencia ports in May
Barcelona/Valencia
Resumption of containers in transit at the Catalan port
Annual cargo traffic in Greek ports stable in 2024
Piraeus
Domestic volumes are growing, while foreign trade is decreasing
Perplexity of freight forwarders, customs agents and maritime agents of La Spezia at the transfer of the port of Carrara to the Tuscan AdSP
The Spice
Timidly, they "hope for consideration for the progress made so far"
Francesco Mastro appointed extraordinary commissioner of the Southern Adriatic Sea Port Authority
Rome
He will take up office on June 30th.
John Denholm to be new president of the International Chamber of Shipping
Athens
He will take over from Emanuele Grimaldi in a year
Extraordinary commissioners of the two Ligurian Port System Authorities have been installed
Genoa/La Spezia
Matteo Paroli and Bruno Pisano at the helm of the institutions
Container traffic at Hong Kong port drops sharply in May
Hong Kong
1.05 million TEUs were handled (-12.7%)
Assogasliquidi-Federchimica shows the way to accelerate the decarbonization of road and maritime transport
Rome
Amadei: Our sector is ready and the time has come for courageous industrial choices
Eagle S tanker command blamed for cutting submarine cables in Gulf of Finland
Advantages
The accident was caused by the ship's anchor
Online platform to report critical issues that put transport workers at risk
Genoa
It was prepared by Fit Cisl Liguria
GNV to create a direct summer connection between Civitavecchia and Tunis
Genoa
It will run alongside the historic route via Palermo
The unification of Grimaldi's concessions in the port of Barcelona has been completed
Madrid/Barcelona
The contract expires on September 20, 2035.
In the first five months of 2025, cargo traffic in Russian ports fell by -4.9%
St. Petersburg
A decrease of approximately -12% was recorded in May
Raben Logistics Group Creates Subsidiary in Türkiye
Milan
It will have 20 employees and a 2,000 square meter cross-dock warehouse
Alberto Dellepiane confirmed as president of Assorimorchiatori
Rome
The composition of the entire association leadership remains unchanged
Agreement between Fincantieri and Indonesian PMM to develop solutions to face new unconventional underwater challenges
PORTS
Italian Ports:
Ancona Genoa Ravenna
Augusta Gioia Tauro Salerno
Bari La Spezia Savona
Brindisi Leghorn Taranto
Cagliari Naples Trapani
Carrara Palermo Trieste
Civitavecchia Piombino Venice
Italian Interports: list World Ports: map
DATABASE
ShipownersShipbuilding and Shiprepairing Yards
ForwardersShip Suppliers
Shipping AgentsTruckers
MEETINGS
The Assarmatori assembly will be held in Rome on July 1st
Rome
"Mediterranean against the current" the theme of the meeting
The public meeting of the International Containers Studies Center will be held in Genoa on July 2nd
Genoa
››› Meetings File
PRESS REVIEW
US has its eye on Greek ports
(Kathimerini)
Proposed 30% increase for port tariffs to be in phases, says Loke
(Free Malaysia Today)
››› Press Review File
FORUM of Shipping
and Logistics
Intervento del presidente Tomaso Cognolato
Roma, 19 giugno 2025
››› File
Structural adaptation works on dock 23 of the port of Ancona awarded
Ancona
Intervention worth over 11.8 million euros
Conference on the role of LNG and bioLNG for the decarbonisation of transport and industry
Rome
The Federchimica-Assogasliquidi event will take place on Monday in Rome
Dutch Bolidt increases presence in cruise ship sector with acquisition of American Boteka
Hendrik Ido Ambacht
Contship Italia has acquired the Genoese customs services company STS
Melzo
The Ligurian company was founded in 1985
Francesco Benevolo has been appointed extraordinary commissioner of the AdSP of the Central-Northern Adriatic Sea
Rome
He is the operations director of RAM - Logistics, Infrastructure and Transport
Montaresi resigns as commissioner of the Eastern Ligurian Port Authority
The Spice
In the eight months of administration - he underlines - we have not lost even a second
Gurrieri has been appointed extraordinary commissioner of the AdSP of the Eastern Adriatic Sea
Trieste
Pending the completion of the formal process for the designation of the president
The commissioners of the AdSP of Western Liguria have handed over their mandate to Minister Salvini
Genoa
The decision is part of the process of designation and nomination of the new leaders
Confetra criticizes the provisions of the decree-law Infrastructure for road transport
Rome
The Confederation urges the blocking of the process of appointing the presidents of the port authorities
Taiwanese Evergreen, Yang Ming and WHL saw revenue decline in May
Keelung/Taipei
The decline is accentuated for the two main companies
South Korea's KSOE wins order to build eight 15,900 TEU containerships
Seongnam
The unit value of each vessel is approximately $221 million.
First port terminal for car traffic of Greek Neptune Lines
Piraeus
It will be inaugurated next year in the French port of Port-La Nouvelle
The assembly of the association of Genoese maritime agents and brokers will be held on June 16th
Genoa
Round Table on Genoa, the hub of the North West and the Mediterranean
BN di Navigazione Board of Directors Renewed
Genoa
BluNavy aims to reach one million passengers by 2025
Viking Line designs world's largest all-electric ro-pax vessel
Viking Line designs world's largest all-electric ro-pax vessel
Åland
Record Monthly Container Traffic at Turkish Ports
Ankara
In May, almost 1.4 million TEUs were handled (+17.6%)
Sergio Landolfi has been elected president of the Customs Association of the Port of La Spezia
The Spice
The board of directors has been renewed
The ferry industry elite will attend the Interferry conference in Salerno in October
Victoria
Event titled "Connections"
Uniport launches an initiative to support ALS research
Rome
Fundraising for the NeMO Clinical Center Serena Foundation Onlus
The Propeller Club of Genoa has analyzed risks and opportunities of using AI in the maritime and insurance sectors
Genoa
The importance of training in the use of technology was highlighted
Chantiers de l'Atlantique delivers luxury cruising yacht Luminara to The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Saint Nazaire
The ship will debut in Alaska
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