Extension granted for Italian Sea Modal Shift reporting
With executive decree no. 49 dated 29 April, the Italian Ministry of Transport has extended the deadline for submitting reports related to the first year of the Sea Modal Shift incentive scheme to 30 May 2025 at 12:00 noon. The incentive, which replaces the Marebonus scheme, provides subsidies for combined road-sea freight transport. The reporting covers journeys carried out between 6 December 2023 and 5 December 2024. Instructions and application forms are available on the website of Ram Spa.
Container ship punctuality improves
In March, global schedule reliability for container vessels rose to 57.5%, up three percentage points from February. This is according to the Global Liner Performance report published by Sea-Intelligence, which analyses 34 routes and over 60 shipping lines. It marks the best performance since November 2023 and is 3% higher than in the same month of 2024. Among the top 13 carriers, Maersk was the most punctual, with an on-time rate of 66.9%, followed by Hapag Lloyd at 64.3% and MSC at 61.9%.
Volvo Trucks sees rise in gas-powered vehicle sales in 2024
Volvo is seeing a rise in global demand for its gas-powered trucks, with over 8,000 units sold in 2024—a 25% increase. The main markets include Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. The FM, FH and FH Aero models can run on both liquefied natural gas and biogas, achieving up to 100% CO₂ emissions reduction when using renewable fuels. With a range of up to 1,000 kilometres, the trucks are suitable for regional and long-haul transport as well as construction logistics. Volvo’s move reflects growing demand for sustainable transport solutions.
New Italian podcast on sustainable logistics
The first Italian podcast entirely dedicated to sustainable logistics is now available on Spotify and the Piano 23 website. Titled “Sustainable Logistics: ideas and visions from the 23rd Floor”, the project was created and self-funded by Piano 23, a consultancy specialising in sustainable transformation for the logistics sector. The series features 30-minute episodes with entrepreneurs, technicians and industry professionals, showcasing real-world solutions, emerging technologies and concrete case studies.
New mobile crane for Termini Imerese
Italgru will supply the new mobile crane for the container terminal in Termini Imerese. The company, based in Ambivere near Bergamo, won the tender launched in June 2024 by the Western Sicily Port Authority with a bid of €3.763 million, undercutting the starting price of €3.9 million. Liebherr MacTech also participated in the tender but did not offer a discount. Neither bid included electric power options. The purchase is part of a broader revitalisation plan for the Sicilian port, supported by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Pnrr), aimed at transferring container traffic from Palermo. The crane will have a lifting capacity of up to 120 tonnes and a maximum outreach of 46 metres.
EU approves €110 million for Le Havre access channel
The European Commission has approved €110 million in state aid for the construction of an access channel to the French port of Le Havre. The new channel, protected by an 1,800-metre breakwater between the Seine and the Port 2000 terminal, will improve access for river vessels. With a total project cost of €197 million, the initiative aims to reduce road traffic, emissions and accidents by encouraging container transport via barges. Preparatory works began in 2024.
Slovak delegation visits the port of Trieste
The President of the Slovak Republic, Peter Pellegrini, visited the port of Trieste today aboard the Italian Coast Guard vessel Corsi CP 906, viewing port infrastructure and development projects from the sea. Also on board were the acting Port Authority Commissioner, Vittorio Torbianelli, and the incoming President, Antonio Gurrieri. Organised by Honorary Consul Luca Farina, the visit was part of the official Slovak programme in Italy. Pellegrini also met with the President of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Massimiliano Fedriga, expressing Slovakia’s interest in securing strategic maritime access via Trieste and calling for improved rail links with Bratislava.
