How ports and trains support competitiveness

At the heart of Emilia-Romagna, the Sassuolo ceramic district, in Italy, stands as a global benchmark of excellence in the production of tiles and building materials. However, behind the prestige of this industry lies not only a legacy of innovation and design but also a highly structured logistics network that supports the entire production chain – from the import of raw materials to the worldwide distribution of finished products. 
For example, the port of Ravenna is a strategic hub for the Italian ceramic industry, particularly as the main gateway for importing the raw materials essential for tile manufacturing. With 25.6 million tonnes of cargo handled and more than 2,500 ship calls in 2024 alone, the port of Ravenna stands out as Italy's leading terminal for trade with the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, while also playing a significant role in traffic to and from the Middle and Far East. Thanks to its strategic location and ongoing infrastructure upgrades, the Romagna port has become a vital logistics hub for the supply of clays and feldspars. “In 2021,” explains Daniele Rossi, President of the Ravenna Port Authority, “more than 5 million tonnes of ceramic aggregates passed through the port of Ravenna from the Black Sea region, 2 million tonnes of which came from Ukraine alone. that accounted for around 80% of the total raw material requirements of ceramic production in Emilia-Romagna. Today, however, due to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the flow of materials along the same route has virtually come to a halt. Yet, the volume of aggregates arriving in Ravenna remains significant: “in 2024,” Rossi notes, “the port handled over 3.7 million tonnes of raw materials for ceramics, a 7% increase compared to 2023. This growth is largely due to the activation of alternative supply chains in countries such as India, Brazil, Portugal and Turkey.” It is obvious, however, that shipping times and, especially transport costs, have increased as a result. This is precisely why there is an urgent need to employ larger ships in order to optimise costs and reduce loading and unloading times. For its part, the Port Authority of Romagna has been anything but idle. Over the past few years, it has developed and begun implementing the Ravenna Port Hub project, now 70% complete, with the goal of increasing the port's logistical capacity, particularly in support of the Sassuolo ceramic district. “This strategic development plan,” Rossi explains, “has attracted investments amounting to €5 billion-€4 billion from the private sector and €1 billion directly from the Port Authority, including approximately €300 million in funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). One of the cornerstones of this development plan is the deepening of the port to 14.5 metres by 31 December 2026 – an upgrade that will enable access to significantly larger vessels. “Previously,” explains President Rossi, “with the seabed at 10.5 metres and no dredging, the port could accommodate ships with a load capacity of up to 40,000 tonnes. Following the completion of the first phase of dredging at the end of 2024, the depth increased to 12.5 metres, allowing ships of up to 50,000-60,000 tonnes to enter the port. Once the final phase is completed by the end of 2026, and the seabed reaches a depth of 14.5 metres, the port will be able to accommodate ships with capacities of up to 70,000-80,000 tonnes, effectively doubling its cargo capacity compared to the original conditions. In addition to this, a development strategy has been put in place, focusing on several key factors. “These include,” President Rossi summarises, “the infrastructural renovation of the port area, the expansion of the port's railway capacity (with the construction of two new stations inside the port and the completion of connections to the terminals), and the reconstruction of the Ravenna ring road to improve access to the port. The strategy also involves equipping the port with its own energy production capacity through the creation of a large photovoltaic park, which will power the cold ironing system at the passenger terminal, as well as the complete digitalisation of the entire port area and its services. 
After that, what are the challenges for the years ahead? “Traditionally,” concludes Rossi, “the port of Ravenna has always served as an import hub for raw materials destined for the ceramics industry. But with this expanded operational capacity, it will also strengthen the district's export competitiveness, particularly toward markets in the Middle and Far East.” 

Another key logistics platform supporting the ceramics industry is the Dinazzano rail freight yard. Located in Casalgrande (Reggio Emilia), in the heart of the Sassuolo district, the facility covers an area of 130,000 square metres and is managed by Dinazzano Po Spa. Today, the platform is a multifunctional hub. In addition to an area managed directly by the company, it also serves several key operators in the sector, including DB Cargo Transa - Full Load Solutions Italia S.r.l., Spinelli Srl, Messina Spa and GLT Logistica. “At the Dinazzano port terminal,” explains Gino Maioli, President of Dinazzano Po Spa, “we handle the transit of raw materials for the ceramics industry, arriving not only from the port of Ravenna but also from central Germany and, to a lesser extent, from Serbia. In addition to these, raw materials arrive by rail from the areas of Massa Carrara and Piacenza, a service that we have been providing for years in partnership with Kerakoll and currently operates 7 to 8 train pairs per week. At the same time, fully loaded trains depart weekly from the terminal to the ports of Genoa, La Spezia and Livorno, as well as via the Chiasso and Brenner passes, supporting tile exports to overseas markets and Northern Europe. Despite its central role in the intermodal logistics network serving the ceramics industry, the Dinazzano terminal has recently seen a decline in traffic. “In 2024,” confirms Maioli, “the volume of goods handled at the terminal fell by 6.46% compared to the previous year, with the number of trains processed dropping from 4,208 in 2021 to 3,075 last year. 
What are the reasons behind this decline? “The causes are varied,” explains the President of Dinazzano Po Spa. “First and foremost is the strong competition from road transport, especially on short-haul routes. The decline in industrial production across Italy and Europe has also had an impact. In addition, we are dealing with numerous challenges related to rail infrastructure, both in Italy and abroad, largely due to ongoing upgrade works.” One thing, however, remains clear: rail transport is significantly more environmentally sustainable than road transport. Trains emit far less CO2 per tonne of freight compared to trucks. Suffice it to say that, on average, it is estimated that a single freight train can replace up to 50 trucks on the road network. In any case, significant financial resources have been invested in Dinazzano in recent years, aligned with both FER’s strategic decisions regarding the railway network and Dinazzano Po Spa’s commitment “to increasing the terminal's operational capacity while reducing its environmental impact.” FER’s investment in the electrification of the railway line was substantial (€10 million). “We have also invested,” Maioli concludes, “in the acquisition of two additional electric locomotives, which are currently leased, though I hope the business plan will soon support their permanent purchase. This choice—currently costing approximately €600,000 per year—has enabled us to handle trains of up to 2,000 gross tonnes at the station, compared to 1,600 tonnes prior to electrification. It has also contributed to an annual reduction of 1,366 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions along the Reggio Emilia-Dinazzano railway line.” 
Also noteworthy is Dinazzano Po Spa’s commitment to environmental sustainability through the allocation of resources for the planting of 45,000 cubic metres of greenery. This initiative is designed to mitigate the environmental impact in the areas surrounding the terminal, thus offsetting the total CO2 emissions generated by railway shunting operations.

The Logistics Hub of the Italian FS Group (a consortium of companies specialising in rail freight transport and integrated logistics in Italy and Europe) is also committed to supporting freight movement within the ceramic district. Comprising eight companies and structured as a sub-holding led by Mercitalia Logistics, the hub is Italy's leading rail freight operator, with a 42% market share and annual revenues exceeding €1.3 billion. It also ranks among the largest rail logistics operators in Europe. At the European level, it operates in 22 countries, employing more than 6,900 people and offering daily connections to and from Italy to support import-export services and promote Made in Italy excellence. Its fleet consists of 650 locomotives, 13,000 freight wagons, 5 ships and more than 30 trucks, in addition to the management of 21 terminals across Italy and Europe. It provides door-to-door and intermodal logistics solutions that integrate rail, road and sea transport, either through its own subsidiaries or in partnership with road and sea freight operators, ensuring efficient transport of both raw materials and finished products. “In Italy,” says Sabrina De Filippis, CEO of Mercitalia Logistics, “we are present in the main intermodal hubs within the district, as well as Verona, Piacenza and Bologna, for the distribution of Italian ceramics abroad, and Dinazzano for the import of raw materials.” To facilitate the transport of Italian ceramics to foreign markets, the Logistics Hub is not only present in 22 European countries but also partners with leading logistics providers to ensure continuity of operations and guarantee reliable, competitive transit times by road. “In particular,” De Filippis continues, “in 2024 we transported 60,000 tonnes of clay and feldspar destined for the Italian ceramics district from Germany, Eastern Europe and major ports, and more than 80,000 tonnes of finished ceramic products departing from the district to Germany, France, Northern Europe, as well as intercontinental destinations via connections with Italy's main ports. The CEO of Mercitalia Logistics highlights that “our sustainable logistics model is built around projects that allow optimising freight flows in the most environmentally responsible way possible, with rail as the primary mode of transport for long distances. This translates into a lower environmental impact thanks to reduced CO2 emissions compared to road transport; improved economic efficiency, with more competitive costs over long distances; greater load capacity, enabling the transport of large volumes in a single shipment; and enhanced reliability, with consistent and predictable shipping times.” 
The Logistics Hub is working to improve the speed and reliability of rail shipments for the ceramic industry. This includes developing tailored solutions with dedicated trains for the transport of incoming raw materials, and providing a European intermodal network with high-frequency weekly connections to key European markets for the distribution of outgoing finished products. “In addition,” assures Sabrina De Filippis, “information to the end customer is ensured through the adoption of digital solutions for shipment tracking. The infrastructure investments planned in Europe in the coming years to modernise the logistics network represent a crucial opportunity for revitalising the country’s competitiveness.” Improving network efficiency will be a key driver in consolidating our leadership at the European level. “The Logistics Hub’s strategic plan,” concludes the CEO, “is our concrete response to these challenges. It aims to strengthen our network of high-value partnerships. The plan also includes investments in fleet renewal, the upgrading of existing terminals and the creation of new ones, as well as further progress in digitalisation.”

(Article by Andrea Ghiaroni, pubblished in "CER il giornale della ceramica" magazine n. 410)