Semi-autonomous vehicles at the Port of Hamburg
Hamburg Port Authority has launched the iPortus project with the aim of safely and scalably integrating low-emission, remotely controlled semi-autonomous surface units into the routine operations of the Port of Hamburg. The initiative seeks to move this technology from the experimental phase to everyday use in port traffic. The project is supported by around €1.7 million under the Ihatec II programme. The consortium brings together Hamburg Port Authority, Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services and Kongsberg Maritime Germany. Activities focus on navigational safety and cybersecurity, increasing the level of autonomy of the systems used and integrating them with a remote control centre. The project also includes the definition of regulatory elements to support authorisation processes and the development of economically sustainable operating models for autonomous units in German ports. The consortium’s first operational meeting is scheduled for 26 January 2026 at Fraunhofer CML.
Cargo flight between China and Budapest
China Cargo Airlines has launched a new freight service between Chongqing and Budapest operated with a Boeing 777F, with three weekly frequencies, strengthening logistics flows between China and Europe. The route represents the second international all-cargo service launched from Chongqing in 2026 and is primarily intended for cross-border e-commerce and locally manufactured IT products. The airline operates a fleet of 18 Boeing 777Fs and is expecting the delivery of two additional aircraft of the same type. In 2024, China Cargo Airlines had already launched services between Shanghai and Budapest with three weekly Boeing 777F flights. In November 2025, Worldwide Flight Services also signed a new handling contract with the carrier on the resumption of cargo flights at Paris Charles de Gaulle, which came into force with the first scheduled service on 20 November.
Railway reopening in Carentan
The French railway line near Carentan, closed following the derailment of a freight train two weeks ago, is expected to partially reopen around 14 or 15 February. According to the French infrastructure manager Sncf Réseau, a further six weeks will be required for the full restoration of traffic. Clean-up and repair operations are currently under way in the area affected by the incident and involve the removal of materials and the reinstatement of the track infrastructure. The total cost of the works is estimated at €10 million. The partial reopening will allow a limited resumption of rail traffic, with direct effects on the continuity of freight transport in the region. A full return to operations is subject to the completion of the planned structural works.
Medlog relaunches Dhaka river terminal
Medlog, the logistics arm of the Msc group, has taken over the management of the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal, a river container terminal in West Keraniganj within the Dhaka metropolitan area (Bangladesh), along the Buriganga River, with the aim of strengthening inland connections and easing pressure on the capital’s road traffic. The site is an inland terminal connected to Dhaka by river and located close to the Dhaka–Mawa–Bhanga highway. The facility was built in 2013 by the Chattogram Port Authority with an investment of around Tk 154–155 crore (approximately €10.7–10.8 million). The operation is based on a 22-year concession approved by the Government of Bangladesh. The change in management follows a period of underutilisation and losses, attributed among the cited causes to a shortage of inland container vessels and management issues. The authorised or design capacity is indicated at around 200,000 teu per year, while in the plans communicated by Msc and Medlog operations are targeted at around 160,000 teu per year after the planned upgrades. To relaunch the terminal, Medlog has earmarked investments of about Tk 490 crore (around €34.1 million), including the installation of two mobile cranes and new handling equipment, the deployment of vessels and barges dedicated to inland traffic, and the automation of terminal processes to speed up imports, exports and document management. Medlog intends to use river barges to connect Pangaon with other inland terminals and with the country’s seaports, primarily Chattogram, shifting traffic volumes from road to waterways. In the same period, Maersk, through Apm Terminals, secured a 30-year concession to build and operate the Laldia Container Terminal in Chittagong, with implications for Bangladesh’s overall port capacity.
Marsa Maroc orders 106 terminal tractors
Marsa Maroc has placed the largest single order of electric terminal tractors ever received by Terberg, with 106 units destined for the new Nador West Med container terminal, whose first operational phase is scheduled for early 2027. The supply will be carried out by Terberg Special Vehicles, a Dutch group with production at its Malaysian plant, and represents the largest electric contract in the manufacturer’s history. The vehicles will be deployed at a terminal operated under concession by Marsa Maroc together with Terminal Investment Limited of the Msc group and Cma Cgm, within an infrastructure featuring 1,520 metres of quay, depths of up to 18 metres, 70 hectares of yards and a full-capacity throughput of 3.4 million teu per year. The tractors adopt fully electric drive with high-capacity battery packs, designed to ensure multi-shift autonomy without frequent recharging, with performance stated to be at least equivalent to diesel versions. After-sales support and maintenance will be provided by local distributor Spia Maroc, which employs more than 500 engineers and technicians. The order forms part of Marsa Maroc’s sustainability strategy, which aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and to develop new terminals designed from the outset for low-emission operations.
Rail upgrade at the port of Livorno
At the port of Livorno, works have been handed over for the upgrade of the four-track rail yard located at the terminal end of Via Leonardo da Vinci, between the Guardia di Finanza building and the road access to the Galvani gate. The project involves an investment of €3.1 million and consists of extending the rail yard to modules of around 600 metres. The aim is to improve the efficiency of the port rail terminal, enabling the handling of trains at least 550 metres long. The first phase of the works is scheduled for completion by 30 June. Funding for the project falls under the Agro-Li scheme, focused on improving and upgrading port infrastructure dedicated to accessibility for the agri-food supply chain at the port of Livorno. The project has received contributions from the Pnrr of the Ministero dell’Agricoltura (Ministry of Agriculture), under the call for the development of agri-food logistics.
