“These developments will be achieved jointly with the support of Eurokai Hamburg, the controlling owner,” said Cecilia Eckelmann-Battistello.”

Now unsaddled by commitments to Italian transhipment (MCT, CICT), Contship Italia can focus Italian investments on its gateway and regional port interests, its lead role in Eurogate Group’s latest involvement in Tanger-Med, and in further developing intermodal rail and MTO activities in Italy and Italian transapline o/d flows.

It has reaffirmed its  strategic commitment to Italy with substantial investments planned at La Spezia Container Terminal (LSCT). The first phase of LSCT aims to add 300,000 TEU to the current handling capacity and increase the share of rail transport from the current 32% to 40% of the modal split. Indicating that it has resolved long-standing issues with the port authority, the company states that it will start on a new development at the Ravano terminal, to realize a new 524m length quay equipped with five STS cranes spanning 25 rows across.  

Short-term goals include the improvement of LSCT’s capability to accommodate ULCCs, thanks to a new draft available in Fornelli East (-15m) and Fornelli West (-14m), the latest to be officially completed by the port authority in December 2020. This improvement will immediately support LSCT’s customers with an average additional vessel capacity of 300-400 TEU per call.

There are, as yet at least, no firm commitments to Terminal Container Ravenna (TCR). The partners of TCR, SAPIR and LSCT, “are currently discussing future investments to further develop the container terminal.”

Some 15 years after the announcement of the concession agreement for Eurogate Tanger (TC2), the new Tanger Alliance terminal (TC3) in Tanger Med 2 will start its commercial operations in January 2021, deploying eight STS latest generation cranes (24 rows, 54 m under spreader) on 800m quay backed by 36-ha of yard.

Contship Italia collaborates with CMA-CGM/Terminal Link at TC2, and with Hapag-Lloyd at the new TC3 facility, where Marsa Maroc is the biggest shareholder. Eurokai holds 40% of the shares via Contship/Eurogate and Hapag Lloyd holds 10%.

On the inland distribution side, Sogemar, Contship Italia’s intermodal logistics and customs arm in Italy, is adapting its offering to new logistics challenges. Reshoring and supply/demand evolutions in the maritime business require Sogemar to adapt its new strategy by consolidating its maritime intermodal activities and expanding its continental rail offering, says the company.

Intermodal transport is projected to split 50% maritime and 50% continental/intra-EU trade by end-2023, and Sogemar will collaborate with sister company Eurogate Intermodal to build and promote European network services.

Last year Rail Hub Milano (Melzo) achieved the target of 50% handling operations with continental traffic (swap bodies, 45ft intermodal units and semitrailers) and established itself as a rail platform for China’s Belt Road Initiative.

Hannibal, the Group’s MTO, with over 60 trains/week connecting Genoa, La Spezia and Ravenna with Melzo, Dinazzano and Padua, will continue to support the drive to modal shift in Italian ports, and increase tranaslpine connectivity with terminals in Switzerland, Southern Germany and Austria.

“Rail Hub Milano, Hannibal and the rail traction services provided by Oceanogate Italia represent a unique integrated and independent offer to the market, supporting customers in their value proposition enhancement with sustainable transport solutions,” says the company.

“Benefitting from the improved Gotthard tunnel capacity and specific new investments in national and in international inland rail hubs, Hannibal will continue to expand its offering to Rotterdam and the UK for continental flows by adding new corridors in 2021 and 2022. Additional ambitious projects related to the development of digital platforms will also be announced in 2021.”