Porti & ambiente — le notizie raccolte

Attività di deposito, movimentazione e prima trasformazione dei materiali strategici, accessibilità marittima garantita da fondali naturali fino a 18 metri, presenza del Porto Franco Internazionale e della rete ferroviaria che collega lo scalo ai principali distretti produttivi dell'Europa centrale e orientale. Sono alcune caratteristiche del sistema portuale e logistico Trieste-Monfalcone a supporto delle future catene europee delle materie prime critiche, illustrate dal presidente Autorità di Sistema Portuale Mare Adriatico Orientale Marco Consalvo in un incontro al Ministero Imprese e Made in Italy con il ministro Urso.Era presente anche l'assessore regionale a Difesa ambiente, energia, sviluppo sostenibile Fabio Scocimarro. Tra i punti di forza illustrati da Consalvo figurano anche le condizioni offerte dal regime franco, che consentono modalità particolarmente favorevoli per la gestione delle merci sotto il profilo doganale e fiscale, e la capacità del sistema logistico dell'Adriatico orientale di servire rapidamente il cuore manifatturiero del continente. Altro elemento distintivo è la presenza di uno dei più importanti poli scientifici e universitari d'Europa: eccellenze internazionali come ICTP, SISSA, Elettra Sincrotrone, Area Science Park e Università di Trieste sono una massa critica di conoscenze e capacità di innovazione difficilmente riscontrabile in altre città portuali europee. "Trieste ha tutte le caratteristiche per svolgere un ruolo di primo piano nelle future filiere europee delle materie prime critiche. È l'unico porto italiano con una naturale vocazione internazionale e può offrire al Paese un asset strategico già proiettato verso i mercati e le catene produttive del continente", ha detto Marco Consalvo. La sfida dunque è "trasformare questa vocazione in nuova capacità industriale, facendo dialogare sempre di più porto, mondo della ricerca, sistema universitario e imprese. È su questa integrazione che Trieste può costruire un contributo concreto alla competitività dell'Italia e dell'Europa." Riproduzione riservata © Copyright ANSA Da non perdere Condividi

There’s a great deal of interest in our marketplace about how the management team of Ceva Logistics may look in a few weeks’ time. (Guess why, as the exodus continues?) Virtually all of the seven executives pictured below have been rumoured, at different stages… … to be on their way out, for one reason or another. By one source, or another. Now, they all agree The big issue is an underwhelming financial performance that doesn’t please CMA CGM captain Rodolphe Saadé in the wake of ...

It has been a busy fortnight for the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), having slapped Maersk with a $1.9m fine, welcomed a new commissioner, and experienced an influx of new claims against carrier D&D practices. Showing no sign of abating is shipper desire to claw back the staggering sums paid in unfair detention and demurrage (D&D) charges during the pandemic – Cosco and Wan Hai Lines both before the FMC facing claims of unfair charges. Wan Hai is accused of “repeatedly failing to properly perform its obligations for inland transportation”, and then seeking to hit the shipper, Samsung, with bills for D&D – its claim is covering $1.2m for fees beginning September 2021 . “Aware of challenges with intermodal transportation logistics, after 2021 Wan Hai continued accepting transportation of SEA [Samsung’s] goods for store door delivery under through bills of lading, or sea waybills for inland delivery in the US,” the shipper claims. “It continued to repeatedly fail to properly perform its inland transportation obligations, exposing SEA to unreasonable costs, charges, delays, and other harms. When asked to explain the reason for assessing charges on SEA, Wan Hai proffered various excuses.” These included claims of chassis and trucker shortages, inclement weather, and port and terminal congestion, all beyond the control or responsibility of Samsung, but Wan Hai repeatedly refused to “mitigate, cancel, or waive” charges. Quite what Samsung’s chances in appealing to the FMC remain to be seen, but in recent months the FMC has appeared more willing to side with shippers – this week announcing that Maersk should not only pay a $1.9m fine, but issue refunds over “allegations it violated the Shipping Act by assessing detention charges pursuant to service contract and tariffs against third parties,” said the FMC. “These parties had not consented to Maersk’s bills of lading, service contracts, or tariffs. Maersk agreed to terminate this practice and limit definition of merchant in bills of lading to shippers, consignees, and persons with a beneficial interest in the cargo.” The developments of recent months suggest a more front-footed approach from the FMC under Laura DiBella, a Trump appointee, who had faced question marks that her tenure may be marked by leaving shippers out in the cold. Sources admitted that the FMC under her tenure had shown itself willing to go after carriers, but questions have still been raised over whether such support is available for smaller shippers, for which the cost of pursuing a claim may dwarf potential gains. Addressing Congress yesterday, Ms DiBella said: “Under the Trump administration, the FMC remains steadfast in fulfilling its commitment to US shippers and consumers, as evidenced by the significant increase in cases, investigations, and monitoring. “The FMC will continue to use the full scope of our enforcement authorities, where appropriate, to protect exporters and importers from potential anticompetitive or unfair and deceptive behaviour.” And the commission will now do that with a full contingent of commissioners following the news that Robert Harvey will take the seat left vacant after Carl Bentzel’s departure in December 2024. Mr Harvey’s appointment is the second of the second Trump presidency, having been nominated in September, and sees him join Ms DiBella and Rebecca Dye to make up a trio of Republicans stacking the five-member board.

More than half of the new containership capacity added to global markets in the past 12 months is deployed on just two trades: Asia-Europe; and Africa-related routes. According to new research from Alphaliner, 1.84m teu was added to the global fleet between May 2025 and last month, representing a 5.7% increase on the previous 12-month period, and taking the containership total to 33.9m teu. Source: Alphaliner The Asia-Europe trade was the main beneficiary of the additional capacity, with the three main alliances, MSC, and the few niche carriers that continue to run independent services seeing 667,400 teu added over the last 12 months, representing an increase of 8.5%. This means around a quarter of global capacity is deployed from the Far East to North Europe and the Mediterranean. “After an already impressive 11.7% increase between May 2024 and 2025, some carriers were still short of tonnage to staff all the Far East-Europe loops which are deviating around the Cape of Good Hope due to the Red Sea crisis,” reported Alphaliner. “With 25% of the global fleet now trading there, it is by far the largest shipping lane for the liner fleet. Three years ago, the percentage stood at 20.8%. It might further increase as long as carriers cannot sail through the Strait of Hormuz. “Asian exports to the Arab Gulf can reach their destination after a Far East-Med trip through transhipment on liner services to the Red Sea and using land-bridges from Red Sea ports to Upper Gulf ports,” it added. This would also explain why vessel utilisation on the trades has jumped recently, in concert with freight rates, as it only takes a modest demand boost for capacity to become constrained. Source: Linerlytica However, in terms of percentage growth rates of capacity, the standout was the Asia-West Africa trade, which had 347,500 teu of slots added, a 34.4% year-on-year increase, largely propelled by the launch of MSC’s Africa Express service, which deploys around 14 ultra-large container vessels of 24,000 teu capacity. Altogether, 576,100 teu has been added to Africa-related services in the past year, representing growth of 25.3%. It was completely different picture on North America-related trades, with transpacific routes to the US west and east coasts seeing an almost absurd 551 teu added, while transatlantic services saw a 1.8% year-on-year decline. The only other trade that saw a decline in capacity was Far East-Middle East/India, down 7.6%, mostly due to the fact that a large number of the ships that normally ply the route are trapped in the Strait of Hormuz. “The effect of the military conflict in the Middle East on shipping is clearly visible in the global container fleet deployment per trade – vessel capacity deployed in services to the Middle East and India is down 7.6% year on year,” Alphaliner writes. Meanwhile, the largest trade, in terms of the number of ships deployed, remains intra-Asia, where 2,210 vessels – of a global fleet of 7,254 – are deployed. The average size of an intra-Asia vessel, however, is just 1,527 teu, compared with the 15,014 teu average Asia-Europe vessel.

European Cargo’s collapse appears to have been driven by a combination of rising operating costs, customer concentration and mounting financial pressure, rather than fuel prices alone. The Bournemouth-based freighter airline entered administration on 3 June, with Teneo Financial Advisory citing reduced flying activity, working capital pressures, and fuel costs as the key factors. Yet an examination of company filings, operational data, and industry feedback suggests the roots of the collapse may stretch back much further. The airline built its business around converted A340-600 aircraft, creating one of the most distinctive fleets in the air cargo industry. While the Airbus planes offered low acquisition costs and significant capacity, they carried the burden of four engines at a time when much of the freighter market was shifting towards more fuel-efficient twin-engined aircraft. The challenge was not simply fuel prices, according to former European Cargo CEO David Kerr, who now runs JTD Advisory. “The simple equation is that fuel surcharge mechanisms needed to keep the economics of a four-engine freighter contract flying were likely unsustainable for a narrow customer base,” he toldThe Loadstar. But European Cargo had never fully escaped the financial pressures associated with its growth strategy. Accounts for 2024 show revenue of $136.3m, but a net loss of $26.1m, following a loss of $30.6m the previous year. The airline reported net liabilities of $41.8m and acknowledged a continuing reliance on shareholder support, despite management’s view that the business had reached operational break-even. At the same time, the carrier was expanding. European Cargo added operations from Teesside International Airport, continued to develop services linking the UK with western China, and publicly discussed further growth opportunities. Routes to destinations including Urumqi, Chongqing, and Chengdu became central to the airline’s network. Operational data reviewed byThe Loadstarsuggests flying activity actually reached its highest levels in March. Volumes declined sharply in April before collapsing last month. By the second half of May, activity had largely ceased, several weeks before administrators were appointed. The timing raises questions over what changed so rapidly. Mr Kerr believes customer concentration may have played an important role. “Clients who are agents fronting a few ecommerce retailers carry a big working capital risk and the hope of origin airport incentives at the back end,” he said. “That intermediary model must be under severe pressure from end-customer and airlines.” European Cargo’s network had become heavily focused on China-related cargo programmes, particularly routes serving its western cities. The airline and its airport partners frequently highlighted growth in ecommerce traffic, while Shenzhen Sharing Express Logistic-Tech (SSELT) featured prominently in announcements on the development of the Chengdu-Bournemouth cargo corridor. Although the precise commercial relationships remain unclear, Mr Kerr’s comments suggest the airline may have been operating within a relatively concentrated customer base. He himself questioned whether the carrier had diversified sufficiently. “I had made enquiries to ECL on behalf of potential clients, but they seemed reluctant to quote, perhaps at risk of upsetting their key client, or believing they had the market covered,” he said. “The lack of commercial diversity or ambition was a likely contributor, but not the root cause.” The airline’s ownership structure also changed significantly in late 2024. On 19 November, European Aviation exited the business and was replaced by new shareholders, including Carlos Miguel Amorim Da Silva and Trimcomlee Ltd. The restructuring coincided with a major refinancing exercise involving Nordic Trustee-backed financing arrangements secured against aircraft and shareholdings. Those financing arrangements were amended again in March and April this year, only weeks before operations ceased. Whether the refinancing activity reflected growth plans, funding pressures, or efforts to support a business facing deteriorating trading conditions remains unclear. What is clear is that European Cargo was attempting to operate a specialised fleet in an increasingly challenging market. Mr Kerr believes geopolitical events may also have accelerated the pressure on the business. “A committed, professional, and enthusiastic operational team survived perhaps longer than the Ukraine and Gulf conflicts should have allowed,” he said. For now, the administrator’s explanation remains limited to reduced flying activity, working capital pressures, and fuel costs. But the evidence emerging from the carrier’s final months suggests a more complex picture – of a loss-making airline pursuing growth, dependent on a relatively narrow customer base and operating a fuel-intensive fleet in a market that had become increasingly unforgiving. The administrator’s proposals and creditor reports, when published, are expected to provide a clearer picture of what ultimately grounded one of the industry’s most unusual freighter operators.

Ground handlers have warned that airport community systems risk adding complexity, rather than removing it. Airport community systems can play a critical role in improving efficiency across the air cargo supply chain, but only if they are designed to remove bureaucracy rather than simply digitise it, delegates at TIACA’s Executive Summit in Warsaw heard this week. During a panel discussion on “reinventing the playbook for a fragmented industry”, ground handling executives largely agreed that greater connectivity and data-sharing across stakeholders was essential. However, speakers voiced concerns that some community platforms were failing to address the underlying causes of inefficiency. Kai Domscheit, MD of Frankfurt-based handler CHI Cargo Group, said he was a “strong supporter of a good cargo community system”, but warned the industry needed to be cautious about how such platforms were implemented. “The cargo community system should not digitise bureaucracy, it should remove it,” he told delegates. Mr Domscheit argued that some systems, particularly those handling truck slot management, risked masking operational shortcomings rather than solving them. He claimed most handlers “misuse the slot management system to get away from liability that they have a labour scarcity issue”. Using the example of warehouses with more truck docks than they have staff available to operate them, he suggested some systems failed to provide customers with a transparent view of the actual capacity, making it difficult to assess performance accurately. He went further, criticising industry practices that could reward inefficiency. “There’s a storage fee, so I’m actually making more money by not performing and delivering to my customer, and charging the freight forwarder,” he said.“And that’s why I’m speaking about this, because I really think it’s stupid, and they are committing fraud. “Sorry to say that, but it’s not okay, not by my book.” Swissport SVP cargo Steven Polmans offered a more positive assessment of community systems, but acknowledged that implementation remained a challenge. “It does not come as a surprise that I’m a big fan of cargo community systems, but that does come with a few ‘buts’. “If a few people are driving too fast on the highway, you do not abandon the rules. You try to change the behaviour. So, I don’t think the risk of people abusing a landslide management system should stop us from implementing it. If people abuse it, that’s a different discussion, and we should be dealing with it… I believe in a community system,” he said. Mr Polmans argued that community systems added value when they provided a layer of connectivity between multiple stakeholders and systems that would otherwise remain disconnected. “The community system should put an extra layer to bridge where there is a lack of collaboration, or where there are pain points that no single company can overcome,” he said. However, he warned against airports creating standalone platforms that simply duplicate existing handling systems, and he questioned the motivation behind some airport-led initiatives. “For me, a community system is part of basic infrastructure and should not be seen as a money-maker, be seen as dominating, or be collecting data for their own benefit. It should be for the community.” Joanna Li, executive director of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl), highlighted the benefits of community platforms in reducing paperwork and enabling digital communication between stakeholders, although she noted that integrating different systems could prove challenging. The debate reflected a broader theme running throughout the summit: that fragmentation remains one of air cargo’s biggest challenges. While technology is often presented as the answer, panellists repeatedly stressed that true progress would depend on greater collaboration, transparency, and standardisation across the supply chain. As Mr Domscheit put it: “Fragmentation, unfortunately, is the hidden tax of air cargo.”

Intra-Asia rates are now more than 80% higher than before the US/Israel conflict against Iran, as bottlenecks hinder shipping lines’ attempts to move vessels out of the Middle East and refocus on Asia. Drewry’s Intra-Asia Container Index shows that on 29 May, average intra-Asia rates were 7% above the previous fortnight, at $1,008 per 40ft, a year-on-year increase of 54%. The China-India route led the way, with rates gaining 49%, to $1,753 per 40ft, followed by Indonesia-China, up 22% to $83 per 40ft. The Shanghai Containerised Freight Index shows the Shanghai-South-east Asia rate went up to $607 per teu on 29 May, from $585 on 22 May. Compared with the same period a year ago, rates are now 38% higher. As the conflict against Iran has limited seaborne transport to the Middle East, shipping lines have been refocusing on the growing lanes between East Asia, South-east Asia and the Indian subcontinent and today, Cosco launched its South-east Asia India Service 2, connecting Qinzhou, Xiaochan Beach, Haiphong, Singapore, Mundra, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Qinzhou. The service will turn in 35 days and will deploy five 3,300-4,400 teu ships, starting with the 4,250 teuXin Tai Cangfrom Qinzhou today. It will offer the first direct connection between Haiphong and India. Also, from 21 June, Gold Star Line (GSL) will back out of its joint Far East-Western India service with KMTC Line, Evergreen and Emirates Shipping Line (ESL) to team with Global Feeder Shipping to offer a revised New India Express service, covering Shanghai, Ningbo, Dachan Bay, Port Klang, Nhava Sheva, Hazira, Mundra, Port Klang, Haiphong, and Shanghai. The loop, which removes Colombo and Singapore calls, will continue to turn in six weeks, using five 4,300-5,600 teu ships. KMTC Line, Evergreen and ESL will continue their cooperation, but with six 5,500-9,500 teu vessels calling at Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Port Klang, Nhava Sheva, Hazira, Mundra, Port Klang, and Shanghai. Calls at southern China have been moved from Dachan Bay to Shekou, while Colombo is dropped. Drewry Shipping Consultants MD Philip Damas toldThe Loadstarcapacity on the North Asia-Middle East and South-east Asia-Middle East routes had collapsed by 70.6% and 67% year on year, respectively. He added: “This structural retreat is likely a response to ongoing geopolitical friction and operational realignments that have coincided with a demand spike. In contrast, other regional corridors are seeing supply injections as carriers pivot toward manufacturing hubs with higher reliability.” Capacity on South Asia-North Asia and South Asia-South-east Asia routes has grown 43% and 51% in the year to April. Mr Damas commented: “These increases are however being blunted by operational bottlenecks. Port utilisation in major hubs like Singapore remain at critical levels, with rolling pools of displaced containers forcing carriers to prioritise westbound traffic, which in turn slows the repositioning of empty units into South Asian corridors.” Xeneta’s chief analyst, Peter Sand, toldThe Loadstarthat Asian exporters were driving the redrawing of routes. He said: “Networks are adjusted not only away from calling Jebel Ali/Damman or the like. but also internally in Asia. This should not be mistaken for a lower level of capacity, but merely network disruption and changes.”

Il presidente della Regione Liguria Marco Bucci ha incontrato, alla Camera dei deputati, il ministro dell'Ambiente e della sicurezza energetica Gilberto Pichetto Fratin. Al centro del confronto alcuni dei principali dossier liguri in materia ambientale e infrastrutturale, con particolare attenzione al Parco di Portofino, al collegamento della Val Fontanabuona e alla situazione dei dragaggi nei porti della regione.Per quanto riguarda il Parco, Bucci e il ministro hanno condiviso la volontà di definire in tempi rapidi il quadro necessario alla costituzione e alla perimetrazione dell'area protetta, individuando una soluzione capace di coniugare la salvaguardia del patrimonio naturalistico e paesaggistico con il completamento del tunnel della Val Fontanabuona, intervento ritenuto fondamentale per migliorare l'accessibilità e la mobilità dell'intero comprensorio."Abbiamo avuto un confronto molto positivo e concreto sui temi che incidono sul futuro della Liguria. La valorizzazione dell'ambiente - ha spiegato il presidente - e la realizzazione di opere moderne e sostenibili non sono obiettivi alternativi, ma possono rafforzarsi a vicenda. Il tunnel della Fontanabuona rappresenta una risposta attesa da decenni e contribuirà anche a ridurre traffico, tempi di percorrenza ed emissioni, rappresentando un elemento di ulteriore salvaguardia del territorio e dell'ambiente del Parco". Nel corso dell'incontro sono stati inoltre affrontati i temi legati ai dragaggi e agli interventi necessari per garantire la piena funzionalità delle infrastrutture portuali liguri, confermando la piena collaborazione tra Regione Liguria e Ministero dell'Ambiente sui principali dossier di interesse comune. Riproduzione riservata © Copyright ANSA Da non perdere Condividi

The sudden turn in spot freight rates and contract rate-related costs on the transpacific and Asia-Europe trades over the past fortnight has caught almost every stakeholder by surprise. Yes, ocean carriers had been aggressively pushing for spot rate increases since the closure of Hormuz, but after a brief shock-induced spike in the first fortnight, the rates plateaued and soon declined again due to the market fundamentals (weak demand vs healthy supply), as well as the relatively minor role that, after all, ...

Ascolta la versione audio dell'articolo 2' di lettura English Version Translated by AI. For feedback, please contact english@ilsole24ore.com «Da giugno le merci che viaggino via mare dovranno fare i conti con un incremento dei costi di trasporto che supererà il 44%». Il caro trasporti mette in crisi le produzioni industriali e l’occupazione in Sardegna. Da giugno le merci che viaggino via mare dovranno fare i conti con un incremento dei costi di trasporto che supererà il 44%. A lanciare l’allarme, chiedendo un intervento urgente della Regione «per dare soluzione all’inarrestabile incremento del costo sostenuto dalle imprese per il trasporto delle merci». Tra Ets e e Conflitto in medio oriente Loading... «Ai già segnalati impatti negativi che la Direttiva europea sull’Ets marittimo sta determinando sulle imprese dell’isola - scrivono le due organizzazioni-, in queste settimane l’incremento dei costi dei carburanti conseguente al conflitto in Medio Oriente sta rendendo ancora più evidente la condizione di disparità e insostenibilità subita dal sistema economico regionale». Punto di partenza il fatto che tutte le merci e i prodotti che viaggiano via mare da e per la Sardegna «hanno oramai consolidato un maggior costo per il trasporto che, da giugno, supererà il 44%». «Tale spesa aggiuntiva, incrementata dal caro carburante e dalla prossima entrata in vigore dell’ETS2 - scrivono -, si sta riverberando sui trasportatori, sulle imprese e, inevitabilmente, sul consumatore finale con effetti inflattivi devastanti per l’economia dell’isola». Con il risultato che le imprese dell’isola, rischiano di perdere competitività in un sistema che diventa irreversibile. «Da oltre un anno le Associazioni di categoria segnalano che settori strategici per la Sardegna, come il manifatturiero, il lapideo, l’agroalimentare, la logistica, il trasporto - aggiungono ancora -, operano oramai in condizioni di inconcepibile difficoltà rispetto ad altre regioni italiane ed europee che, invece, hanno già approntato strumenti di sostegno e compensazione per le loro imprese».