Trieste’s port is expanding its ro-ro routes towards the Eastern Mediterranean. The new route, commencing in the autumn of 2024 to the Egyptian port of Damietta, will mainly cater to agricultural and horticultural products. The deal was sealed in Cairo on Jan. 22, 2024, by Italian Ambassador Michele Quaroni and Egyptian Transport Minister Kamel el-Wazir. The day after, a delegation from the Port of Damietta visited Trieste the following day to finalize the service details.
Negotiations between the two countries started in 2018, coordinated by the Italian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Transport. Two memoranda were signed: one between the Eastern Adriatic Sea Port Authority and the Port of Damietta, and the other between the customs administrations of both countries. The Italy-Egypt bilateral agreement marks the end of the institutional phase and the beginning of operational activities.
The Egyptian mission in Trieste aimed to introduce the port and its logistic and intermodal systems to Egyptian partners, outlining procedures and timings for customs and phytosanitary aspects. These steps are crucial for launching the new line, which from autumn will facilitate and expedite maritime trade between Italy and Egypt. The route will be showcased at Fruit Logistic in Berlin, targeting mainly Central and Eastern Europe.
The Port Authority of Trieste explains that the connection with Damietta, with an approximate travel time of 70 hours, will initially have a weekly frequency, aiming to increase departures as volumes permit. The Danish group DFDS, in collaboration with Med Roll, will manage the line. Also involved are Samer & Co. Shipping, DFDS’s general agent and partner in Med Roll, and Alpe Adria, which will handle the intermodal part towards Central Europe, the UK, and the Scandinavian countries.
With this service, Trieste aspires to become a European hub for temperature-controlled products. Mainly perishable goods will be processed at the Italian port, with customs clearance before the ship's arrival, thanks to blockchain technology and document digitalization. Products like agri-food, pharmaceuticals, and textiles will be exported from Trieste to Egypt. Goods from Damietta can continue not only to the Egyptian market but also to sub-Saharan and Middle Eastern markets.
Zeno D’Agostino, President of the Port Authority, highlights the strategic importance of this line for Trieste. It aims to diversify markets in response to nearshoring and reshoring processes, offering alternatives to Asia. D'Agostino links the new route's establishment with the current Red Sea crisis, emphasizing the need to diversify in order to better handle the uncertainties and risks of this turbulent period.
The agreements with North African countries are expected to benefit the development of the logistics real estate sector related to refrigerated storage, with various agencies and private operators planning investments in the port and hinterland areas of Trieste.
