New container feeder by Cma Cgm in the Mediterranean
Cma Cgm will launch the Maestrale service on 5 October 2025, a weekly short sea container shipping link operated by the Short Sea Lines division. The new route will provide direct connections between Malta, Albania, Croatia and Italy, strengthening maritime links in the Mediterranean. The rotation will call at the ports of Malta, Durres, Rijeka and Salerno, before returning to Malta. Two dedicated vessels will operate the service. With the Maestrale, the shipping line aims to improve transit times and ensure greater reliability of intra-Mediterranean connections.
Spain bans ships carrying arms for Israel
Spain has prohibited vessels and aircraft transporting arms or military fuel bound for Israel from docking in its ports or flying through its airspace. The measure is linked to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, ongoing for almost two years. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated that there is a difference between defending territory and bombing hospitals or depriving civilians of essential goods. The move follows a similar decision by Turkey at the end of August, which barred ships linked to Israel and Turkish-flagged vessels heading to Israeli ports. Ships carrying military cargo for Israel are also no longer permitted to dock in Turkish ports.
Container route between Morocco and Europe
DP World has announced the launch on 18 September of the Atlas maritime service, linking the ports of Agadir and Casablanca with the London Gateway and Antwerp Gateway terminals. The first rotations, operated by two dedicated vessels, will start in November 2025. The aim is to cut transit times for Moroccan agricultural products to the UK by around two days, delivering benefits in both costs and reliability. The service is designed to handle up to 150,000 tonnes of fresh produce per year, particularly vegetables and berries. Compared with long-distance road transport, the new route allows for an estimated 70% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to around 250 kg per tonne-kilometre. It also avoids road bottlenecks and congestion on the Tangier-Algeciras and Calais-Dover corridors. Operators will be able to use the Cargoes digital platform to monitor flows in real time, from origin to final delivery.
More frequent Stuttgart Express train
Psa Italy has expanded the Stuttgart Express rail service linking the Genoa Pra’ container terminal with Kornwestheim in the Stuttgart area. From September 2025 weekly frequencies have increased from two to three, with the aim of strengthening direct connectivity with southern Germany. The service guarantees a transit time of less than 48 hours, positioning itself as a competitive alternative to road haulage. Trains can reach lengths of up to 500 metres, boosting container handling capacity. Operational management remains entirely under Psa Italy’s control, covering bookings, documentation, customs procedures and first and last mile services.
EU funds for the port of Trieste
The port of Trieste has secured 1.7 million euros from the European Union for two new projects focused on digitalisation and sustainability. The Eastern Adriatic Sea Port Authority has obtained approval for Verkko, co-financed by the Connecting Europe Facility, and Presport, supported by Interreg Italy-Croatia. With these resources, the Authority now manages ten active European projects, with a total value of over 5 million euros. Verkko aims to digitalise the management of exceptional transport and simplify gate access procedures, improving the fluidity of logistics operations. Presport, meanwhile, includes interventions on several fronts: from designing cold ironing infrastructure, to replacing lighting towers with LED systems, enhancing video surveillance and introducing a digital platform for the circular economy.
InPost Italia expands its national network
InPost Italia has reached 4,000 lockers installed nationwide, with the latest activation in Cattolica. The company, part of the Polish InPost group, recorded a 47.56% increase in locker-handled volumes in the first six months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. The figures confirm the growing adoption of the out-of-home delivery model in the Italian market. The locker network has been developed in collaboration with supermarkets, retail chains, shopping centres and local partners, with the aim of increasing territorial coverage. The infrastructure is supported by more than 9,000 delivery points in total, including lockers and InPost Points. Alongside physical expansion, the company has introduced a new person-to-person shipping service, InPost Direct. The system allows parcels to be sent without intermediaries, with three predefined package formats available online, each with a fixed price and a maximum permitted weight of 25 kg. After purchasing the digital label, available instantly, the sender can drop off the parcel at any network location. The recipient then collects it independently at the selected point, with no time restrictions.
