Italian terminal operator Contship is making a major investment to upgrade container infrastructure in La Spezia Port in northern Italy in an effort to meet increasing intermodal cargo demand.
According to Daniele Testi, marketing director of Contship, the company is now making a EUR200m investment to expand the container terminal and railway connection at the port, which could increase the annual handling capacity of the port by 600,000teu to 2m teu.
The expansion plan has recently been approved by authorities. Construction is expected to commence in 2018 and phase one of the expansion project is due to be completed by 2020. The entire investment will be made by Contship internally.
La Spezia Container Terminal is Contship’s gateway for the Thyrrenian Sea and the port has gradually become a regional shipping hub with a strong intermodal focus amid growing competition for business in the Mediterranean.
The port now has over 200 trains a week to domestic and international destinations in south and central Europe via Contship’s rail hub in Milan, moving around 35% of the port’s throughput. Upon completion of the expansion project, the trains will be able to move 50% of the port’s throughput.
