Consistent Growth from Contship Italia Group

Continuing support from key markets across Asia helped Contship Italia Group, the leading container terminal and intermodal transport operator in Italy, to report a steady set of results for 2015.

Contship Italia Group terminals handled a total of 6.3 million TEUs last year on the back of increased volumes at La Spezia Container Terminal (LSCT), its main gateway for Asian cargo.

LSCT, with four weekly calls from China, the Far East, and South East Asia, continues the positive trend that has seen Asia trade via La Spezia increase by 3.5% on the previous year (up 19% over the past five years).

In 2015, 197 of 938 total calls at LSCT were associated with Asia services offered by the 2M, O3 and CKYHE alliances handling vessels in the 10,000-14,000 TEU capacity range.

In February 2015, LSCT became Italy’s first gateway port to welcome a 16,600 TEU vessel.

For total TEUs from all locations, including those from Asia which account for 40% of its full TEUs, LSCT set a new record for the second year running, up 8% against 2014.

The overall results mean the privately held Contship Italia Group maintains its position as a major gateway for Asia cargoes in southern Europe, as well as confirming its status as a leading container terminal operator in Italy.

Overall, four out of five terminals operated by Contship Italia Group experienced volume growth in 2015.

 

Italy	2015 (TEU)	2014 (TEU)
MCT – Medcenter Container Terminal	2,547,000	2,970,000
CICT – Cagliari International Container Terminal	686,000	656,000
LSCT – La Spezia Container Terminal	1,196,000	1,109,000
TCR - Terminal Container Ravenna	212,000	198,000
SCT - Salerno Container Terminal	341,000	320,000
Morocco
Eurogate Tanger	1,295,000	1,428,000

 

Contship Italia Group Intermodal and Logistics:

	2015	2014
Hannibal (transported TEUs)	247,000	240,000
Oceanogate Italia (km - trains)	1,074,000*	1,078,000
Rail Hub Milano (operated trains)	5,870	5,190

* forecast

The 6.3 million TEUs for last year represents a slight overall decrease from 2014 (6.6m TEUs), mainly due to network adjustments by the shipping lines in the Mediterranean hubs.

However, the group’s Intermodal and Logistics division transported an overall increase in volumes in 2015, supported by the new Rail Hub Milano business unit, launched in January 2015 and expanded in the second quarter.

Cecilia Eckelmann-Battistello, Contship Italia Group President, said today: “Contship’s global shipping line customers continue with their main challenges – sustainable trade growth, capacity, revenues, environment, uncertainty in global markets, leading to increasing questions about the outlook for demand in the world economy. Cost, leadership, and efficiency remain top of the agenda.”

“Contship Italia Group’s response in supporting valued customers is to continue to invest strongly in facilities, paving the way for the increasing size of tonnage being deployed. The investments involve both maritime and inland terminals, delivering fully integrated port-to-door products for the global supply chain,” she said.

“As the Group’s customer base extends to the total supply chain in Italy, South Europe and beyond, Contship’s alternative gateway solutions are gaining momentum, providing opportunities for shipping lines, freight forwarders, and cargo owners to re-think their options in terms of faster, more efficient and environmentally friendly transport.”

“Italy has changed and will keep changing. Contship will continue to drive that change in the supply chain sector,” she added.

As Italy’s first inbound gateway call for cargo from Asia, LSCT offers one single integrated system making cargo flow easy and unique in Italy with up to 200 trains per week available. Its preclearing options and full control from port-to-door, both for rail and road delivery, represent the fastest cargo delivery options for Asian shippers into Italian markets. This has enabled LSCT to keep expanding its catchment area of 43% of Italian GDP, as well as into many Southern European destinations.

Other terminals operated by Contship Italia Group, Medcenter Container Terminal (MCT) in Gioia Tauro and Eurogate Tanger saw a slight fall in volumes, generally consistent with the Mediterranean transhipment market trend. In September 2015, MCT celebrated 20 years in operation with a cumulative 52 million TEUs handled.

Cagliari International Container Terminal (CICT) continued its positive trend (total volumes up 5% on 2014).

Terminal Container Ravenna (TCR) reports an overall increase of 7%. The results of investment in 2015 will further enhance both service and new opportunities in 2016, when new RMGs will be deployed.

Salerno Container Terminal (SCT) also reports an increase in volume performance (+7% on 2014).

Contship Italia Group’s Intermodal and Logistics business units achieved positive results both domestically and internationally.

Rail Hub Milano, having increased its number of operated trains, will continue to expand with terminal equipment improvement in 2016 with the deployment of two brand new gantry cranes on the extended 4 x 750m length rail tracks.

Hannibal, now responsible for the Group’s domestic and ‘over The Alps’ intermodal connections, is providing rail and truck services for maritime and continental cargo across the main South-North logistic corridors. The volumes transported by rail in 2015 generated a CO2 reduction in excess of 9,400 tons (calculated using http://www.ecotransit.org/), equivalent to the amount 447,600 trees absorb each year, making a vital contribution to the environment (www.arborenvironmentalalliance.com).

Both Hannibal and Rail Hub Milano expect to improve their scope of service following the opening of the Gotthard tunnel, planned for June 2016.

Finally, Oceanogate Italia, Contship Italia Group’s rail traction company, continued in line with 2014, extending the scope of activities linked with Rail Hub Milano.