Automar has launched a new partnership with Chinese carmaker BYD for the handling and distribution of vehicles destined for the Italian market, with a specific focus on central and southern regions. The operational start of the agreement was marked by the arrival at the port of Gioia Tauro of an ocean-going car carrier carrying 1,200 BYD vehicles, destined for the brand’s national dealer network. The operation confirms the growing centrality of the Calabrian port in automotive traffic and its role as a Mediterranean logistics hub.
The agreement is based on an integrated logistics model combining maritime transport, rail connections and road distribution, with the aim of ensuring operational continuity, efficient flows and greater territorial reach. Within this framework, Gioia Tauro acts as the entry and distribution platform for vehicles, supporting a rapidly expanding commercial network and rising volumes.
Automar, a specialist automotive logistics operator, manages activities through a dedicated platform for vehicle handling and movements, developed in line with BYD’s required standards. The organisation of operations is geared towards improving delivery times and streamlining flows, elements seen as key to supporting the evolution of the electric vehicle market in Italy.
According to Alessandro Grosso, Country Manager BYD and Denza Italy, the choice of Gioia Tauro and the partnership with Automar reflect the need to strengthen the national supply chain. The growth recorded by the Chinese brand on the Italian market requires a solid and widespread logistics structure capable of improving service to the distribution network and effectively supporting deliveries, particularly to central and southern Italy.
For Automar, the agreement represents recognition of the development path undertaken over the years in managing complex international projects. Chairman Costantino Baldissara underlined how BYD’s choice confirms the value of the group’s expertise and the strategic role of the Gioia Tauro terminal in automotive logistics. The partnership also helps to enhance the attractiveness of the Calabrian port as a hub capable of attracting new traffic, complementary to containers, as well as investment and industrial development opportunities.
At European level, BYD’s automotive logistics strategy is built around three elements. The first concerns maritime transport, with a proprietary fleet of car carriers dedicated to exports from China, launched in 2024 with the entry into service of the first vessel on the Shenzhen–Europe route. This set-up allows the manufacturer to reduce reliance on third-party shipowners and to contain transit times and transport costs, with transit time reductions estimated at around 15% and logistics cost savings of about 20% in the first quarter of 2025.
The second pillar is the targeted use of European ports and hubs, selected for their ability to handle significant volumes and provide storage, technical preparation and multimodal onward services. In northern Europe, BYD uses ports such as Vlissingen, Bremerhaven and Zeebrugge, while in the Mediterranean it also relies on gateways such as Livorno and, for the Italian market, Gioia Tauro, in partnership with specialised logistics operators. Upstream, the export centre of gravity remains the Shenzhen cluster, where BYD has developed an integrated automotive logistics hub.
The third pillar concerns the progressive localisation of production and distribution in Europe. Alongside import logistics, BYD is developing manufacturing facilities on the continent, starting with its automotive plant in Hungary, and expanding an increasingly extensive sales network, with the aim of shortening the distance between logistics hubs and dealerships. At the same time, the manufacturer continues to integrate its organisation with European logistics operators for inland and last-mile stages, maintaining a balance between direct integration on intercontinental routes and operational flexibility at continental level.
P.R.
