TRIESTE – Circle Group showcased its work on the Trieste–Damietta (Egypt) maritime corridor in India, during the Maritime Week 2025 held in Mumbai.
The focus of the event was the digitalisation of international corridors and smart customs, with the expansion of digital and intermodal links between Europe, Africa and Asia. During the Mumbai conference, Circle Group’s CEO, Luca Abatello, presented the International Fast & Secure Trade Lanes (IFSTL) model, developed by the group to integrate technologies, procedures and supply chain stakeholders into a single digital infrastructure.
At the core of the system lies the Trieste–Damietta digital customs corridor (Ro-Ro traffic), operational since November 2024, connecting Italy and Egypt through an integrated platform for cargo monitoring and traceability. Thanks to IoT technologies, RFID electronic seals, digital documentation and pre-arrival controls, the corridor enables shorter port dwell times and greater customs efficiency. The initiative has strengthened the role of the Port of Trieste as a strategic Mediterranean hub and as a model for the future extension of digital trade lanes toward North Africa and the Middle East.
Abatello emphasised that the project’s success is a concrete example of customs interoperability and public–private cooperation. The group is currently developing new logistics routes between Italy, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, aligned with the Mattei Plan, as well as future connections with India under the IMEC corridor.
Circle is also involved in the European project eFTI4LIVE, focused on the digitalisation of freight transport, for which it has received a non-repayable EU grant of €945,000. Co-funded by the CEF programme, the project aims to develop and test interoperable eFTI platforms across the European Union by 2027. Specifically, the subsidiary NextFreight will handle the design and testing of the platform, backed by €620,000 in funding, while Magellan Circle Italia will manage communication and stakeholder engagement, receiving €325,000.
