The ports managed by the Eastern Ligurian Sea Port System Authority reported strong results in 2024, particularly in container traffic. The Port of La Spezia closed the year with a throughput of 1,238,258 TEUs, marking an 8.7% rise compared to 2023. Of this total, 1,123,602 TEUs were processed at La Spezia Container Terminal (+11%), while Terminal del Golfo handled 114,656 TEUs, experiencing a 9.7% decrease. Gateway traffic stood out, reaching 1,142,621 TEUs (+6.8%), including 532,000 TEUs in exports and 309,000 TEUs in imports, reinforcing La Spezia’s position as a key hub for central and northern Italy.
Intermodal operations accounted for 34% of cargo transport via rail. La Spezia managed 7,405 trains, a 4% annual increase, transporting 3.1 million tonnes of goods (+10.2%). The General Economic Interest Service also facilitated the operation of 602 trains at the Santo Stefano Magra dry port, raising the share of trains handled in the hinterland area to 26%.
The total cargo throughput at the Port of La Spezia reached 12,220,975 tonnes, reflecting a slight 1.7% decline compared to 2023, primarily due to reduced energy liquid bulk volumes. General cargo rose to 11,419,379 tonnes (+11.2%), driven by growth in container traffic (+10.9%) and other miscellaneous goods (+43.6%). However, solid bulk cargo plummeted by 73.3%, amounting to just 12,963 tonnes.
The Port of Marina di Carrara also delivered positive results in 2024, handling 4,862,039 tonnes of goods. While overall volumes remained stable compared to 2023, solid bulk cargo saw a sharp drop (-49.6%). General cargo performed exceptionally well, reaching 4,300,713 tonnes (+14.2%), with contributions from container traffic (+1.3%), ro-ro shipments (+8.4%), and break bulk cargo (+68.4%). The port managed 50,939 rolling stock units (+6.7%). Container traffic totalled 103,297 TEUs, with 83% bound for Sardinia and the remainder destined for Algeria and Tunisia.
The Authority's extraordinary commissioner, Federica Montaresi, emphasised that the positive results of 2024 stem from targeted strategic planning: "Efficient services, innovation, major infrastructure projects, collaboration between public and private sectors, intermodality, and environmental sustainability continue to engage stakeholders. This model allows us to consolidate traffic and prepare for the future challenges of maritime transport and emerging global logistics chains."
