Trieste is going through a critical phase that is affecting, albeit in different ways, the two activities linked to intermodal transport, while the appointment of a new head of the Port Authority remains blocked. In August 2025, a dispute erupted between Grimaldi and Dfds over ferry berths on the Italy–Turkey service, touching on issues of fair competition, port infrastructure management and equal access to facilities. The Italian shipping line accused its Danish rival of improperly using the Hhla Plt Italy terminal, since Dfds already has its own dedicated ro-ro berth operated by Samer Seaports & Terminals.
Hhla Plt Italy, which has been in operation since 2021 and is run by a subsidiary of Germany’s Hamburger Hafen und Logistik, was designed as a multipurpose, common-user facility. Covering a total area of 270,000 square metres and equipped with two quays measuring 360 and 414 metres respectively, it also offers ro-ro ramps and direct rail connections. Its defining feature is its neutrality: a terminal within the Trieste Free Port zone that is open to all shipping lines.
By contrast, Dfds has its own dedicated berth at Samer Seaports & Terminals, located in the Riva Traiana and Pier V area of the Porto Franco Nuovo. This facility spans 175,000 square metres of open yard, with operational quays featuring three ramps capable of accommodating three ro-ro vessels simultaneously, plus two additional conventional berths. The Samer terminal handles semi-trailers moving between Europe and Turkey and includes a rail terminal linking Trieste with Salzburg.
Against this backdrop, the Port Authority reportedly urged Dfds to vacate the berths at Hhla Plt Italy so they could be used by shipping companies without their own facilities. Grimaldi, in turn, has cast itself as the “liberator” of Trieste from what it claims is a de facto monopoly built up by Dfds between the Italian port and the Istanbul/Marmara commercial area. The Turkish line Ulusoy also operates in Trieste, but Grimaldi does not view it as a genuine competitor, since it only serves the port of Çeşme, some 600 kilometres from Istanbul. According to Grimaldi, the Danish carrier could berth all its ro-ro ships at the Samer terminal, but instead uses Hhla Plt Italy to obstruct its services, creating congestion with heavy vehicles and effectively boycotting the Italian operator.
The dispute is further complicated by the instability at the Port Authority, following the resignation of special commissioner Antonio Gurrieri in July 2025, just days after taking office. He was replaced by Transport Minister–appointed Donato Liguori, whose mandate runs only until 30 September. After that, a new president is expected to take over, but as of early September the situation remains uncertain. Several names have circulated in the local press, including Alberto Rossi, Vittorio Torbianelli, Sandra Primiceri and Massimo Campailla, but the ministry has yet to make a move. Any appointment will also require approval from the Friuli Venezia-Giulia regional government and the national Parliament.
Meanwhile, after years of growth, container traffic at Trieste has slowed since the start of 2025. In the first six months, the port handled 383,008 teu, down 1.74 per cent compared with the same period last year. Of these, 273,758 teu were directed inland, while 109,250 teu were transhipped onto other vessels. Ro-ro volumes, by contrast, performed better, rising 5.28 per cent to 155,391 units, with 477 vessel calls.
