{"id":16027,"date":"2024-02-29T18:23:58","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T08:23:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=50428"},"modified":"2024-02-29T18:23:58","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T08:23:58","slug":"msc-expands-rail-presence-in-italian-ports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=16027","title":{"rendered":"MSC expands rail presence in Italian ports"},"content":{"rendered":"

The month of February saw shipping giant MSC taking further steps to solidify its presence in Italy, with a focus on rail freight. The company recently became a shareholder in Rail Hub Europe, the entity managing the Rivalta Terminal Europe, near the port of Genoa, on the Italian northwest coast. Moreover, the company is working on taking over operations at the W\u00e4rtsil\u00e4 plant, near the port of Trieste, in northeastern Italy, which will be reconverted into a rail freight wagon manufacturing hub.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>These two initiatives pair up with other recent MSC projects and acquisitions aimed at enhancing the company\u2019s presence in Italy. In February 2023, for example, the company became a majority shareholder in the Trieste Marine Terminal<\/a>, another key rail freight location at the port of Trieste. Moreover, last November, MSC and the Italian railway holding Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) announced a new partnership in the form of a new entity called NewCo<\/a>. Its aim is to boost sea-rail intermodality by building more terminals across Italy. FS will own 51 per cent of the new entity, while the remaining 49 per cent will be held by Medlog, MSC\u2019s logistics arm.<\/p>\n

Keeping the W\u00e4rtsil\u00e4 plant alive<\/h2>\n

The recent developments concerning the W\u00e4rtsil\u00e4 plant were shared by MSC\u2019s Executive Chairman Gianluigi Aponte in an interview with Italian newspaper Il Secolo XIX. The site was opened in 1997 by Finnish marine technology firm W\u00e4rtsil\u00e4, which focussed on the development of marine engines. The company decided to relocate its activities in Vaasa, in southwestern Finland. Italy was not too happy with the decision, as the plant employees 300 workers and is considered a strategic asset for the country, as the Minister of Work and Social Policies mentioned. MSC seems to be willing to keep all workers and recover the plant into a manufacturer of rail freight wagons.<\/p>\n

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The W\u00e4rtsil\u00e4 plant in Trieste. Image: Wikimedia Commons. \u00a9 Nicholas Frisardi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Increased MSC presence at Rivalta Terminal Europe<\/h2>\n

Concerning the Rivalta Terminal Europe, MSC, via Medlog, now owns 50 per cent of the shares of Rail Hub Europe, the entity managing the terminal, as The Medi Telegraph underlined. The terminal functions as a dry port for the port of Genoa and MSC, via its rail freight subsidiary Medway, is already one of its main users. The facility remains quite important as it was recently upgraded with four tracks to handle 750-metre trains. Moreover, it is located along the future Terzo Valico line, which will create a much better connection between Genoa, Milan and, consequently, the rest of Europe. The Rivalta Terminal Europe has connections to the ports of Genoa, La Spezia and Padua.<\/p>\n

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Shunting operations at Rivalta Terminal Europe. Image: Flickr. \u00a9 Maurizio Zanella<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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