Gemini expands its return to Suez
Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have decided to reroute the Gemini Cooperation's shipping service between India and Northern Europe through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. The service is marketed as ME1 by Maersk and IOS by Hapag-Lloyd. The first affected sailing is that of the container ship Atlanta Express, voyage 644W, scheduled to depart from Salalah, Oman, on 4 November. In the opposite direction, the Savannah Express, voyage 644E, is scheduled to depart from Tangier on 13 November according to Maersk and 12 November according to Hapag-Lloyd. The revised rotation includes Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Salalah, Tangier, Rotterdam, Wilhelmshaven, Hamburg, London and Algeciras, with transits through Suez in both directions. The return of the ME1/IOS service is part of the gradual restoration of Red Sea connections already initiated by the Gemini Cooperation with six other services: AE5, AE11, AE12, AE15, AE19 and ME2. The decision therefore represents a further expansion of the trans-Suez network, without signalling an overall normalisation of shipping operations. Service reliability could be affected by operating conditions at the ports involved, including Salalah, where berthing delays of up to 36 hours were reported in early November. The restoration of the route remains subject to ongoing security monitoring in the Red Sea, with further operational adjustments possible should regional conditions deteriorate.
Alstom boosts maintenance capacity
Alstom inaugurated a new maintenance building for trains and locomotives and a modernised control room for monitoring Traxx fleets operating on European railway networks at its Vado Ligure site on 9 November 2026. The project is part of a programme launched in 2021 to revitalise and diversify the plant's activities, supported by investments of around €20 million and funding from the Italian Ministry of Enterprises. The new building, covering more than 2,570 square metres and extending over 130 metres in length, has two tracks allowing simultaneous maintenance work on regional trains, high-speed trains and locomotives. Activities include second-level maintenance, functional inspections, overhauls and technological upgrades, with digitalised processes designed to improve the traceability of maintenance operations. The facility will also work on bogies from trains undergoing overhaul at the Savigliano plant, as well as braking and air-conditioning systems. The new control room extends the monitoring of Traxx locomotives beyond Italy, combining remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance and continuous technical assistance. Using the Healthhub platform, specialists analyse diagnostic data to identify potential faults and schedule corrective action, while a technical support service assists train drivers around the clock. The centre currently monitors 360 Traxx locomotives, with the aim of gradually increasing this number to around 600, out of a European fleet of more than 2,500 units. The expansion forms part of Alstom's Italian industrial plan, which provides for investments exceeding €63 million over the 2024–2026 period. The Ligurian plant, which employs around 300 people, retains the production of Traxx Universal locomotives as its main activity, alongside maintenance, major overhauls and work on high-speed trains. The site is also involved in fitting out the power car of Italy's first hydrogen-powered train, strengthening the integration of railway manufacturing, maintenance and digital services.
Diesel Technic expands logistics operations
Diesel Technic will invest almost €100 million in expanding and modernising its headquarters in Kirchdorf, Germany, to increase storage capacity and improve logistics efficiency. The project, which will take approximately three years, includes the construction of an automated high-bay pallet warehouse covering 8,500 square metres, standing 40 metres high and providing capacity for 70,000 pallets. The facility will incorporate a four-storey, 26-metre-high logistics tower housing order picking, preparation and dispatch operations, as well as offices. The new infrastructure will feature ten loading bays for lorries, eight for express couriers and a charging point for electric heavy goods vehicles. A 1,400 kWp photovoltaic system will also be installed. Automation will include goods-to-person handling systems and ergonomic workstations designed to reduce the physical workload on employees. The company has also begun recruiting additional staff, particularly in logistics. The investment will allow Diesel Technic to expand its product range and speed up deliveries of DT Spare Parts-branded components. Construction is scheduled for completion by mid-2029.
Ferrarelle integrates logistics and digital operations
Ferrarelle Società Benefit has established a new Supply Chain & Digital Department, operational since 1 November 2026 and headed by Sandro Puzelli, previously responsible for information systems and digital transformation. The reorganisation forms part of the company's 2025–2028 strategic plan and aims to improve supply chain coordination by integrating processes and information systems. The new department brings together demand planning, procurement, logistics, customer service and digital technologies to improve operational efficiency, from demand forecasting to order fulfilment and logistics planning. It will also coordinate commercial requirements with production activities at the company's two plants in Riardo and Boario, whose managers will continue to report directly to General Management. The consolidation of these functions is intended to support data-driven decision-making and closer integration across the different stages of the supply chain. Puzelli previously held positions at Ansaldobreda and Hitachi Rail, focusing on technological innovation and digital transformation.
