Page 20: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Sep/Oct 2018)

19 21

Port of La Spezia ftentimes in the world of port logistics, talk immedi-

Expanding: Target 2020 ately turns to big, bigger and biggest. Scale and econ- But the port and Contship Italia together are embarked on a omy certainly go hand-in-hand, as the wild growth in $381 million investment program, a private-public investment containership size over the last two decades attest. partnership that will extend and build new docks, build and im-

O But being effcient, productive and proftable is not prove port infrastructure including road and rail, and dredge so solely dependent on size, as shown by the Italian Port of La Spezia, that the revamped facility can accept the largest containerships if a modest sized port which continues to experience solid growth. needed (currently it can accept ships up to 14,500 TEU). When

The second largest port in Italy, the Port of La Spezia counts completed, the port will be able to process two million TEU an- geographic location as its frst advantage, boasting a 48-foot nually, a 33% increase over capacity today.

depth and situated on the Mediterranean Sea, the crossroads be- Contship Italia is a major driver in the port and region, and accord- tween Europe, Africa and the Middle East. While Asia dominates ing to Daniele Testi, Marketing and Corporate Communications Di- trade to and from La Spezia with nearly 45% of its business, New rector, Contship Italia – which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2019,

York is the single biggest port of trade by tonnage, and cumula- has been a ‘Port-to-Door’ logistics company since 1969. Contship tively, the U.S. accounts for nearly 25% of trade from the port, Italia is unique in that it is a terminal operator that also owns and op- according to Francesco Di Sarcina, Secretary General, Port of La erates its own intermodal assets, from forklifts to trucks to trains. “We

Spezia. Annually, the port handles nearly 1.5 million TEU, 16 use trains like other companies use trucks,” said Testi, a testament to million tons of cargo and half a million cruise passengers. the 35% of cargo that transits through the Port of La Spezia via rail.

20 Maritime Logistics Professional September/October 2018 | |