Duisburg opens digital truck parking
The port of Duisburg will inaugurate a new digital truck parking facility on 26 August 2025. Built on the site of the former Triton yard, the 21,000-square-metre area offers more than 100 spaces equipped with sanitary facilities and social areas. Developed under the Segate project and backed by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Affairs, the system uses sensors and scanners to monitor occupancy and manage access. Drivers enter vehicle details and departure time, receiving an allocated space that allows the area to handle up to a third more trucks compared with conventional solutions. Linked to the Duisburg Gateway Terminal, the parking site will improve the planning of arrivals and departures. Alongside round-the-clock security, lighting and free showers for drivers, the facility will help ease illegal parking problems in nearby residential areas.
Hvo for trucks at London Gateway and Southampton
From 1 September 2025, hauliers operating at DP World’s London Gateway and Southampton ports will be able to join a 28-month trial of hydrotreated vegetable oil (Hvo), a renewable fuel offered at the same price as diesel. The programme allows fleet operators to request up to 5,000 litres of Hvo per vehicle completing at least 90 Vbs bookings in a quarter, capped at ten vehicles and 50,000 litres per corporate group per port. The scheme applies only to laden import and export bookings and does not allow visits across the two terminals to be combined. Participating firms must also complete a free eight-hour carbon literacy workshop focusing on emissions and decarbonisation strategies for transport. The first qualification window runs from September to November 2025, with fuel available from January 2026. Sessions will continue quarterly until the end of 2027.
Container ship punctuality falls
Container shipping punctuality declined in July 2025, marking the first drop since January. According to the Global Liner Performance Report by Sea-Intelligence, schedule reliability fell by 2.2 percentage points month-on-month to 65.2 per cent. Compared with July 2024, however, reliability was still up by 13 percentage points. The average delay for late arrivals increased to 4.68 days, 0.14 days longer than in June. Among leading carriers, Maersk ranked first with 80.6 per cent reliability, followed by Hapag-Lloyd at 74 per cent.
Gros opens fresh produce distribution hub in Guidonia
Gruppo Romano Supermercati has opened a new distribution centre in Guidonia dedicated to fresh products. Covering 30,000 square metres with 78 loading bays, the site includes departments for fruit and vegetables, fish and Safo delicatessen products. The hub employs 170 staff, with further recruitment expected as activity expands, and aims to ensure more punctual deliveries while reducing handling errors. With more than 200 outlets, Gros is strengthening its logistics network, which now spans 117,000 square metres across Lazio.
Wns joins Dcsa+
The Digital Container Shipping Association (Dcsa) has announced that Wns has joined its Dcsa+ Partner Programme. Wns, a digital transformation and services provider working with over 700 clients in eight industries, supports global container carriers with AI-based solutions for booking, documentation, equipment management, customer service, finance, ESG and master data management. By joining Dcsa+, Wns will contribute to the adoption of open digital standards aimed at boosting interoperability, streamlining operations and enhancing sustainability across the container shipping value chain.
Capodistria-Divača line ready in March 2026
The Capodistria-Divača railway line will be ready in March 2026 for testing and commissioning, according to state-owned project company 2Tdk. The firm confirmed that work remains on schedule and within budget, despite challenges linked to karst terrain and instability in the Rosandra Valley. “The line will be operational in March 2026, with completion scheduled for September of the same year,” said CEO Matej Oset. He also recalled the €156 million EU grant secured last summer.
Dutch rail freight in decline
Rail freight volumes in the Netherlands are set for another fall. After two consecutive years of contraction, 2026 is also expected to see a decline. Infrastructure manager ProRail reported that operators have requested 14 per cent fewer train paths compared with 2025. The drop highlights the ongoing difficulties of a sector steadily losing market share.
Intermodal link between Kazakhstan and Turkey
Kazakhstan Railways (Ktz) has launched a new intermodal service strengthening rail connections with Turkey. The route links Medeu, in the Almaty region, to Köseköy, south-east of Istanbul, via a rail-sea-rail corridor along the Middle Corridor. The initiative aims to boost cargo flows between Central Asia and Europe, offering an alternative route to traditional trade lanes.
