Four of the main logistics players in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna founded ROLER, an initiative “to help double rail freight transport volumes” in the area. The entities are the port of Ravenna, the intermodal terminals in Bologna and Dinazzano and operator Rail Traction Company.
The new intermodal agreement will try to revert the current trend, which saw volumes decreasing by almost 12% between 2022 and 2024. Moreover, a recent study showed how opting for intermodal services in Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto remains a choice only for a small minority. The study also highlighted that players Emilia Romagna were also the least likely to implement intermodal services in the future.
The ROLER project, thus, comes in to try and change the situation bringing “stronger synergies between the four parties involved”, as Interporto Bologna pointed out. In addition to this initiative, the facility is getting ready for a new terminal. Expected to be operational next year, it will feature five tracks to handle 750-metre trains and two gantry cranes.