Fedespedi highlights how the non-Italian ports of the Med grew by 7.1% (while Piraeus observed a decline of 12.9%)
For Italy, 2023 was a year characterized by the weakness of industrial activities, which fell by 2% compared to 2022, a negative trend also confirmed in the first six months of 2024.
A slowdown in foreign trade
The first half of the year also highlighted a slowdown in foreign trade, with a decline of 1.8% (on the same period of 2023), compared to imports falling by 8.2%. This is the photograph that emerges from the 23rd Fedespedi Economic Outlook, the quarterly observatory on the performance of the federation’s international freight transport.according to Shipping Italy
Exports are in difficulty
“Exports to some of the strategic markets for our country – explained President Alessandro Pitto – are in difficulty due to the contraction in internal demand”. In particular, added Pitto, in the first half of 2024 exports to Austria fell by 12.2%, exports to Switzerland fell by 18.6% and exports to China fell by 26.5%. “This trend also affects the performance of Italian ports (-0.6% of container traffic in the first half of 2024)”.
At maritime shipments
Looking in particular at maritime shipments, Fedespedi estimates an increase in container traffic in 2024 to 180 million TEUs (+5% on 2023).
In the first half of the year, the amount that affected Italian ports as mentioned was reduced by 0.6% to around 3.7 million TEUs, due to a negative first quarter (-3.2%) following the Suez crisis and of an “unfavorable moment” for foreign trade.
Lower loss in Italian ports
All this, while the other Mediterranean ports (non-Italian) have moved a total of 20.9 million TEUs (+7.1%), with decidedly positive results for the port of Barcelona (+24.2%) and Tanger Med (+18%), and while the North Range ports grew, although more limited (+4.2%). However, the positive performance of Gioia Tauro (+11.9%) should also be highlighted, as well as the fact that the average loss in volumes of Italian ports was lower, for example, than that recorded in the Piraeus period (-12.9%) .
Quality of maritime services
With respect to the quality of maritime services, the analysis finds a decline over the period, both in terms of the percentage of ships arriving on time and the average days of delay, especially in the first part of the year, as a consequence of the Suez canal situation.
In 2024, approximately 53% of ships arrived on time, compared to 62% in 2023 (average delay in 2024 of 5.3 days, compared to 4.8 last year).
About Fedespedi
It is noteworthy that Fedespedi – National Federation of International Shipping Companies – was established on 11 June 1946 and is based in Milan. Its members include ANAMA (National Association of Air Freight Agents), ANTEP (National Association of Port Terminal Operators) and FISI (Italian Federation of Industrial Freight Forwarders).it is present throughout the national territory with over 30 Territorial Associations.
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