Porti & ambiente — le notizie raccolte

L’Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mar Ligure Occidentale ha partecipato al convegno “Insieme, sui binari del futuro”, organizzato da A.I.FERR -Associazione Imprese Ferroviarie fondata a Genova nel 2019, e dedicato al tema “Il ruolo delle piccole e medie imprese nella realizzazione delle opere infrastrutturali”. Un’importante occasione di confronto tra istituzioni, enti e imprese sui temi dello sviluppo infrastrutturale, dell’intermodalità e del contributo strategico delle PMI alla competitività del sistema logistico nazionale. Nel suo saluto inaugurale, il Presidente Matteo Paroli ha ribadito come il tema ferroviario rappresenti oggi un elemento inscindibile dalla capacità di sviluppo di un sistema moderno ed efficiente, sottolineando la necessità di rafforzare il trasporto su ferro per rendere più competitivo e sostenibile il sistema portuale nazionale. Paroli ha evidenziato come l’attuale quota di merci movimentate via ferro in Italia sia ancora distante dal target europeo del 30%, indicando però con chiarezza la direzione intrapresa dall’Autorità Portuale: “Ad oggi i porti di Genova e Savona Vado movimentano via ferrovia poco più del 13%. Si tratta di una percentuale importante, ma che non ci soddisfa e che vogliamo assolutamente incrementare”. Il Presidente ha ricordato come il trasferimento delle merci dalla gomma alla ferrovia rappresenti un vantaggio non solo economico, grazie a una maggiore efficienza della catena logistica, ma soprattutto ambientale e urbano, perché consente di ridurre emissioni, traffico pesante e congestione cittadina. Un percorso sostenuto da un vasto piano di investimenti infrastrutturali dal valore di oltre 190 milioni di euro che vede l’AdSP impegnata, insieme a RFI e allo Stato, nel potenziamento degli asset ferroviari di ultimo miglio e dei nodi strategici portuali. Tra gli interventi richiamati da Paroli figurano il potenziamento delle gallerie ferroviarie di uscita dal porto di Genova, la nuova stazione ferroviaria di Fuori Muro, gli interventi sul porto di Sampierdarena e il Parco Rugna, un fiore all’occhiello della progettualità ferroviaria operativo da maggio del 2025. Paroli ha inoltre richiamato il contesto internazionale, evidenziando come le difficoltà dei sistemi logistici nord-europei e i cambiamenti climatici stiano aprendo nuove opportunità per il sistema mediterraneo. “Dobbiamo essere in grado di cogliere questo momento positivo, perché la logistica non perdona e, se perdiamo questo treno, rischiamo di perdere un’occasione che potrebbe non ripresentarsi nei prossimi anni”, ha affermato, sottolineando il valore strategico della collaborazione tra sistema portuale e operatori ferroviari per costruire una filiera logistica integrata, efficiente e competitiva a livello europeo. Nel corso della sessione dedicata alle prospettive di sviluppo territoriali, il Capo di Gabinetto Silvio Fremura ha ripercorso il legame storico tra porto e ferrovia, ricordando come già lo sviluppo originario delle aree portuali genovesi fosse stato concepito in funzione dell’integrazione ferroviaria, a testimonianza di una relazione strutturale tra mare e ferro che continua ancora oggi a rappresentare uno degli assi strategici dello sviluppo logistico. Fremura ha evidenziato il ruolo dell’Autorità di Sistema Portuale quale porta di accesso del Sud Europa ai traffici internazionali e ha ribadito come competitività e stabilità si costruiscano attraverso investimenti continui nelle infrastrutture. Nel suo intervento Fremura ha sottolineato come le opere in corso nei quattro bacini del sistema portuale rappresentino veri “snodi” capaci di facilitare il trasferimento delle merci verso il Nord Italia e il Centro Europa, ampliando la catchment area dei porti liguri e rafforzandone il ruolo all’interno delle reti logistiche continentali. Particolare attenzione è stata dedicata anche al valore del know-how industriale italiano e al contributo delle imprese del settore ferroviario, considerate un patrimonio strategico da preservare e valorizzare attraverso investimenti, innovazione e continuità progettuale. La partecipazione dell’AdSP del Mar Ligure Occidentale al convegno promosso da A.I.FERR ha ribadito la visione integrata dell’Ente sullo sviluppo del sistema logistico-portuale, fondata sul rafforzamento dell’intermodalità ferroviaria, sull’integrazione tra infrastrutture portuali e reti europee di trasporto e sulla collaborazione tra istituzioni e imprese. Una strategia che punta a rendere i porti di Genova, Savona e Vado sempre più competitivi, sostenibili e connessi ai grandi mercati continentali, riconoscendo nelle piccole e medie imprese un elemento fondamentale per accompagnare la crescita infrastrutturale e industriale del territorio.

Container spot freight rates across the transpacific and Asia-Europe trades saw marginal gains this week, as carriers managed to halt three consecutive weeks of price declines into Europe. According to this week’s World Container Index (WCI) from Drewry, spot rates on the Shanghai-Rotterdam route increased 2%, to $2,170 per 40ft, while the Shanghai-Genoa leg edged up 1%, to $3,075 per 40ft; carriers gaining some momentum before attempting to implement new FAK rate levels next week (15 May), ranging from $3,500-$4,500 per 40ft to North Europe, and $4,500-$4,600 to the Mediterranean. However, both customers and analysts remain sceptical that these will fully stick, despite recent capacity cuts by carriers. “Asia-Europe rates from April to the first half of May have been flat,” one Asia-Europe forwarder toldThe Loadstar. “We’re seeing early indications of an increase for the second half of May of around $200 per teu, which I think has come from the heavy blanking, and it has impacted our allocations and even seen some rollovers,” he added. According to Drewry’s analysis of blanked sailings and capacity reductions, “effective capacity is expected to decline 3% month on month on Asia-North Europe, and 10% month on month on Asia-Mediterranean in May”, it said. However, analysts at Linerlytica predicted the carriers’ capacity plans would not be enough to support the new FAK levels. One noted: “Carriers will face an uphill task in securing the next three rounds of rate hikes to North Europe, with limited capacity cuts in May and higher capacity expected in June.” There were stronger pricing gains on the transpacific trades, after the implementation of emergency fuel and peak season surcharges by carriers at the beginning of the month. The WCI’s Shanghai-Los Angeles route increased 5% week on week, to end at $3,062 per 40ft, while the Shanghai-New York leg was up 7%, to finish at $3,721 per 40ft. And forwarders on the trade said spot rates were relatively stable, with some discounts of $2,500 per 40ft to the west coast and $3,550 to the east coast available. However, west coast forwarder Freight Right warned that space was becoming increasingly tight, as carriers cut capacity to force prices up, leading to increasing supply chain disruption. “While [transpacific] space is technically available to book, the reduction in vessel capacity means a high percentage of shipments are being rolled to subsequent weeks,” the firm said. This has also recently led to carriers departing China with overloaded vessels, it added, with excess volumes unloaded in the South Korean transhipment hub of Busan. “To compensate for fewer ships, carriers are overloading active vessels, sometimes forcing unplanned discharges at intermediate ports like Busan to lighten the load for the transpacific crossing,” it added, and warned that blanked sailings for the remainder of this month were likely to “occur at a higher rate than in April”. This was confirmed by Linerlytica, which reported: “Multiple blank sailings are planned in early May, with the biggest changes involving the Premier Alliance’s reconfiguration of its transpacific services.”

Tapping into discordant feelings surrounding cargo coverage, DP World has launched an end-to-end war-risk insurance product, which it claims will close “critical gaps” in the freight world’s otherwise fragmented insurance practices – but some are sceptical. Applicable for shipments transiting the Middle East, the solution covers physical loss or damage caused by war-related risks, including conflict, civil unrest, seizure, and derelict weapons, with valid claims settled with zero deductibles. Group CEO Yuvraj Narayan said: “This is about solving a real, immediate problem for global trade. Supply chains don’t stop at the port or the shoreline, and neither should insurance. “For the first time, cargo owners can access a single policy that protects goods across the entire journey, even in high-risk environments, helping keep trade moving when it matters most.” The terminal operator claimed it could offer a product maintaining supply chain continuity across key trade corridors, including the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, and surrounding the inland routes, because it had “leveraged its scale and relationship with insurers”. Covering both air and sea transits, the insurance also provides protection for both port storage and inland delivery, with DP World explaining this closes “critical gaps left by conventional insurance policies, which typically insure a single leg of the journey”. However, some have question what differentiates DP World’s product from others available, one forwarder tellingThe Loadstar:“All insurance companies offer this product.” The forwarder suggested it was another “money-making initiative”, and seemed sceptical whether cargo would be protected as resolutely as DP World claims. Throughout the crises in the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz, forwarders and shippers have expressed anger at surcharges that have been imposed on them, many tellingThe Loadstarthe extra costs bring no added protection. And there are those who have suggested the present insurance market does not serve cargo coverage well, with the crisis in the Persian Gulf exposing some structural gaps. In an guest post forThe Loadstar, Breeze’s chief insurance officer, Patrizia Kern-Ferretti, this week noted cargo war coverage expired at discharge, or within 15 days of port arrival, meaning goods caught in a blocking or trapping scenario after arrival may be outside the policy period. She added: “Standard cargo war clauses exclude claims based on frustration of the voyage or adventure, limiting recovery when a shipment cannot reach its destination due to protracted conflict. “Unlike hull, cargo war policies carry no equivalent to the Detainment Clause, meaning there is no agreed threshold at which a stranded cargo can be declared a constructive loss. A prolonged disruption makes these gaps materially more significant.” She noted: “Cargo buyers, particularly those reliant on Middle East trade routes, would benefit from a clearer market conversation about what their war coverage does and does not provide. That is partly a broking issue, but it is also a product design question.”

DP World-operated Vallarpadam container terminal at India’s Cochin port — developed as the country’s first dedicated transhipment hub — seems to be facing formidable competitive challenges from new entrant Vizhinjam, a deepwater terminal managed by Adani Ports. Transhipment volumes through Vallarpadam in fiscal year 2025-26 almost halved, year on year, according to official port data, to 85,911 teu, from 169,562 teu. As a result, overall throughput fell to 767,948 teu, from 834,665 teu, data shows. However, one silver lining for the terminal was a marginal volume gain in gateway cargo handling. DP World Cochin CEO Dipin Kayyath toldThe Loadstar:“Export/import cargo volumes grew close to 6% in fiscal year 2026, reflecting the resilience of the region’s trade ecosystem and the strength of our operational capabilities. “While ad-hoc transhipment remains opportunistic amid geopolitical trade shifts, our consistent performance reflects a deep commitment to long-term growth and operational excellence,” he added. Vallarpadam had already been struggling to reach volume targets due to sagging direct mainline call fortunes, a problem arguably in large part tied to high port tariffs, compared with Sri Lanka’s Colombo and other hubs in the region. The latest transhipment volume downturn comes as DP World was looking to woo more liner customers on the strength of productivity enhancements following recent infrastructure upgrades, including new advanced cranes and yard capacity expansions. “DP World has also invested to build a port-led ecosystem; by developing a free-trade warehousing zone, India’s only such facility co-located within a major port, which continues to serve as a vital enabler of trade and regional economic growth,” Mr Kayyath said. DP World Cochin recently also achieved a productivity milestone, with container moves on theMSC Ilaria, an ad-hoc call last month, hitting some 8,000 teu. Meanwhile, nearby rival Vizhinjam has not only been able to increase vessel calls at a brisk pace, but ended fiscal 2025-26 with volumes surpassing its designed phase one 1m teu capacity: handling 1.3m teu, from some 600 vessel calls, data shows. The terminal opened to commercial operations in December 2024 and built up enough volumes to break even in the first year, a rare feat in the industry. Against the backdrop of that unexpected capacity saturation, the authorities advanced implementation of phase two development at Vizhinjam. Now targeted for completion in 2028, the $1bn expansion is expected to boost capacity to 4m teu annually. With more port capacity is set to come onstream, including development at Vadhavan near Mumbai, the battle for market share among Indian terminals is likely to heat up, sources believe.

Maersk chief executive Vincent Clerc launched the firm’s latest earnings call in the style of a TV anchorman, introducing himself and recently installed chief financial officer Robert Erni as if they were about to tell us today’s news and weather forecast. It was a good news day for ’canny’ Maersk yesterday (as Premium wrote: ’Where financial discipline dictates strategy’), and the forecast is looking sunny – notwithstanding the storm clouds that have gathered over the Middles East, and after an update ...

Karma is a b*tch, right? But, long in the making: do no say the latest developments at Forward Air (FWRD) caught you off guard. Now The latest FWRD episode, broadcast after US markets closed yesterday, led to:-45% fallin the share price of Forward Air in after-hours trade, soon after the release of a Q1 26 update that was ok-ish… given the circumstances… with FWRD hitting a multi-year low of $9.5 outside regular trade – a level confirmed… … in pre-market trade today. ($10/share ...

The air freight market in the Middle East is stabilising, according to DHL Global Forwarding. “All airspaces across the region are open, albeit some with varying levels of restrictions, such as fixed corridors or pre-approvals being required. “Overall, we have noticed a further increase in air freight capacity being available and a first softening of rate levels, but they are still at significantly elevated levels versus pre-crisis,” commented Tobias Maier, DGF’s CEO for the Middle East and Africa, in a webinar. “We are also seeing the first sign of airline fuel surcharges starting to come down, with reports emerging that airlines are prioritising international flights over domestic ones.” Among the significant developments is the return of DHL’s intercontinental flights into Bahrain and Dubai from Germany and from Hong Kong, Paul Dowling, DHL Express customer operations manager, MENA, explained. “Most importantly this week, we have brought Qatar and Kuwait back into the air network, as well as establishing collections from Italy to the Middle East, and connecting the Middle East with Africa through Nairobi. So, once again we are linking Europe, Asia, and Africa to the Middle East. “The plan is to continue to operate our back-up air hubs in Riyadh and Muscat while the situation in the region continues to stabilise.” He said this week’s drone attacks on Dubai had not led to DHL cancelling any flights. “Over the next couple of weeks, we plan to re-introduce fights beyond the GCC, into Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon, followed by flights from the US into Bahrain.” Ben Lambert, DGF’s VP, regional head of airfreight, Middle East & Africa, highlighted data showing a continued recovery in the schedules of Gulf carriers such as Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways, while the volume of cargo handled at the region’s airports was on the rise – but remaining well below pre-crisis levels. He said the “big movers” in terms of tonnage recovery were Dubai airports DXB and DWC, along with Doha. As to the prospect of European carriers returning to the Middle East, Mr Lambert said: “In mid-May, there will be another review of the situation by the European Aviation Security Council, so we’ll see what recommendations come out of that. Currently, there is a very limited amount of capacity on Europe-Middle East routes.” Meanwhile, another major air cargo player, Cathay Pacific, has pointed to a market which continued to be very volatile, with capacity pressure from the situation in the Middle East and the high price of jet fuel. The Hong Kong-based carrier has pushed back the resumption of its passenger flights to Riyadh and Dubai until the end of June, and freighter services to those destinations remain suspended. “Our now fortnightly cadence to our fuel surcharge mechanism means we more closely track the price of jet fuel. As a result, in mid-April, while still extremely high, the price of SINJET fuel – which itself is significantly higher than the price of crude, due to increased refinery costs – saw a slight drop in comparison with what we saw in late-March,” explained Toby Griffiths, Cathay’s head of cargo global sales & customer solutions. “This has been reflected in our most recent fuel surcharge announcement, showing a slight decrease for the first period of May.” While fuel surcharges are beginning to soften, the market remains under pressure from elevated refinery and jet fuel costs, all linked to the disruption across the Gulf region. Mr Griffiths noted that demand remained robust and load factors on Cathay’s transpacific and European lanes had held up well, although there was some softening owing to Golden Week in early May. Cathay Cargo has also been able to arrange some alternative mid-points in India, in place of Dubai, for its European freighters, which has helped recover capacity on the Asia-Europe lane. Additionally, to support growth in South-east Asia, Cathay has added a freighter to Bangkok, tagged with Ho Chi Minh City, which will free up another 40 tonnes of capacity from Vietnam capital Hanoi. “If peace and stability were to return to the Middle East, as we hope, we believe the air cargo market and jet fuel prices will remain volatile for a while longer,” summed up Mr Griffiths. “Our fuel surcharge cadence will remain fortnightly for the foreseeable future, to reflect this uncertainty. As ever, we will monitor the situation and do all we can to protect our network, capacity and, of course, our Hong Kong hub.”

"Il rapporto tra città, cantieristica e porto non è mai stato facile ma è innegabile che è un rapporto imprescindibile". Lo ha detto il sindaco di Ancona, Daniele Silvetti, durante il suo intervento alla presentazione - alla facoltà di Economia di Ancona - del libro "Storia della cantieristica italiana nell'età contemporanea.Dall'Unità all'età giolittiana", edito da Fondazione Fincantieri e Laterza e pubblicato dal professore di storia economica dell'Università politecnica delle Marche (Univpm), Roberto Giulianelli."Ancona vuole essere e rivendica il ruolo di città di mare, di approdi, di scambi, economia e sviluppo e da questo trae le origini e il suo tratto identitario. - ha aggiunto il sindaco - La storia dei cantieri di Ancona è memoria viva, sono storie di famiglie e di competenze tramandate con fatica e orgoglio. Il varo della Viking Libra, la prima nave alimentata a idrogeno, dimostra che la città costruisce e partecipa a un processo di ammodernamento e costruzione verso il futuro". Riproduzione riservata © Copyright ANSA Da non perdere Condividi

Donald Trump’s administration has suffered a major legal setback after a US federal trade court ruled that its new 10% global tariff regime was imposed unlawfully. Yesterday, the US Court of International Trade (doc26-47)ruled it exceeded powers granted under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 when the administration imposed temporary tariffs on most imports entering the US. The case was brought by a coalition of US states, led by Oregon, alongside import-dependent businesses, including spice importer Burlap & Barrel and toy company Basic Fun. Section 122 allows a president to impose temporary import surcharges of up to 15% during serious “balance-of-payments” problems. However, the three-judge panel ruled that the decision relied instead on concerns such as the US trade deficit and current account deficit – concepts the court said were legally distinct from the conditions set out in the statute. In one of the ruling’s sharpest passages, the judges wrote: “When Congress grants the power to impose tariffs, it does so clearly and with careful constraints.” The court also stated that “the president enjoys no inherent authority to impose tariffs during peacetime”. The judges concluded that the proclamation was, therefore, “ultra vires”, or “beyond the president’s legal authority”. However, the immediate effect of the ruling is narrower than some headlines suggest. The court granted relief only to the plaintiffs that demonstrated direct injury – Washington state and the two importers. Arguments for the other states involved in the lawsuit were dismissed for ‘lack of standing’, because they could not show sufficiently direct economic harm. The administration is expected to appeal, meaning the tariffs could remain in place while the case moves to higher courts. The ruling follows a separate Supreme Court decision earlier this year limiting the administration’s use of emergency economic powers to impose tariffs, adding to growing judicial scrutiny of expansive presidential trade authority.

di Niccolò Gramigni 8 maggio 2026 3' di lettura 3' di lettura Gli immancabili mozziconi di sigaretta, ma pure frammenti di reti per raccogliere le cozze, cotton fioc e addirittura parte dei sistemi di filtraggio dei depuratori. Sono gli oggetti trovati – tra amare certezze e sorprese – in occasione del weekend del mare, l’iniziativa promossa daPlastic Free Onlusche nell’ultimo fine settimana ha interessato 290 volontari del litorale del Veneto. In totale sono stati fatti nove interventi di pulizia ambientale e i numeri danno l’idea del lavoro: sono stati raccolti oltre 3.100 kg di plastica. Dal Delta del Po alle spiagge dell’alto Adriatico, i cleanup si sono svolti a Rosolina, Porto Viro e Porto Tolle, per poi proseguire lungo la laguna a Chioggia, Venezia Lido e Jesolo, fino a Caorle, Eraclea e Bibione. «Abbiamo trovato rifiuti diversi a seconda della tipologia di luogo - ha spiegato il fondatore e presidente di Plastic Free Onlus, Luca De Gaetano -. Ad esempio la spiaggia di Isola Verde a Chioggia si trova tra due fiumi, ovvero l’Adige e il Brenta: qui l’oggetto che abbiamo trovato con più frequenza è stato ilcotton fioc. Modello anni ’80, quelli con la plastica dura che mezza Pianura Padana ha gettato nel water dopo l’uso: se ne trovano tanti nell’ambiente e sono davvero dannosi. Sono quasi irrecuperabili anche per le dimensioni ridotte». Ci sono poi rifiuti legati all’attività di pesca: «Su tutte le spiagge in Veneto si trovano delle “calze”, sono piccole reti in cui vengono inserite delle piccole cozze e da lì c’è la raccolta di quelle mature – ha spiegato -. Ma per raccoglierle bisogna tagliare le calze, che finiscono in mare. Un altro oggetto sorprendente sono dei dischi in plastica nera dal diametro di 3-4 cm: da indagini fatte sono parti di sistemi di filtraggio dei depuratori». Naturalmente ci sono gli immancabili mozziconi di sigaretta e i tappi di bottiglia. Ma con differenze da spiaggia a spiaggia, almeno per le sigarette: «A Eraclea e Caorle abbiamo trovato pochi mozziconi e sa perché? Lì intorno è proibito il fumo, per cui la differenza rispetto alle spiagge libere è netta. Lo stesso non si può dire nel lido di Venezia». In tanti si sono uniti alle operazioni di pulizia: cittadini ma pure turisti. Accanto alla pulizia ambientale, l’edizione 2026 ha introdotto anche un’attività di “citizen science”, coinvolgendo i volontari nella catalogazione dei rifiuti raccolti. Attraverso schede tecniche basate sul disciplinare europeo di monitoraggio del beach litter, sono stati raccolti dati su tipologia e materiali, che saranno ora analizzati e trasmessi alla banca dati europea per contribuire allo studio del fenomeno del marine litter. I dati raccolti nel corso delle attività saranno ora elaborati per fornire un quadro più dettagliato della presenza di rifiuti lungo le coste venete, con l’obiettivo di supportare future azioni di prevenzione e intervento. «Un aspetto interessante – ha osservato De Gaetano – è che la composizione dei volontari è stata molto varia. Non tanto in termini numerici, siamo sui numeri degli altri anni. Ma sono venute diverse famiglie e questo è stato bello. Così come è stato bello il fatto che si sono uniti dei turisti stranieri: ci hanno visto pulire le spiagge, hanno chiesto di darci una mano. Da tanti luoghi del mondo: dalla Cina alla Francia». Dunque è cresciuta la consapevolezza? «Adesso le parole hanno un livello di informazione che non hanno mai avuto in passato – ha concluso il fondatore e presidente di Plastic Free Onlus -. Le persone sono disposte ora ad accettare anche qualche scomodità se ci sono impatti positivi sull’ambiente». Per come siamo partiti non è poco. Notizie e approfondimenti sugli avvenimenti politici, economici e finanziari.