TRIESTE – Three new fully electric yard cranes have arrived at Porto Marghera for the Venice Vecon (PSA Italy) container terminal.
The three eRTGs are part of the development plan launched after the concession renewal. Total investment amounts to €8.5 million and falls within the infrastructure and technology growth programme promoted by PSA Italy following the renewal of the Marghera terminal concession, signed in June 2023 with the Northern Adriatic Sea Port Authority.
The cranes were ordered in December 2024 and built during 2025 by ZPMC, in line with PSA Group standards and Venice terminal operating requirements. The eRTGs will be dedicated in particular to the return-handling of full containers, with direct effects on road-haulage service. The aim is to increase yard capacity, handle higher volumes and reduce truck waiting times, especially during peak traffic periods.
Introducing 100% electric cranes meets a double need: on the one hand, improving overall efficiency for shipping lines and the wider logistics chain of the port; on the other, eliminating local emissions compared with traditional diesel RTGs and significantly cutting energy consumption.
Delivery was carried out by the Zhen Hua 35, which left Shanghai on 10 October and docked on 14 December at PSA Genova Pra’ to deliver a further six electric units. In Venice, activities will start a few hours after berthing at Marghera. The cranes are expected to enter service from early March 2026, after installation and commissioning tests.
According to Port Authority president Matteo Gasparato, the investment strengthens a strategic segment such as containers while also marking a step forward on the environmental side. In the first eleven months of the year, the port handled 487,397 TEU, up 11.4% on the same period of the previous year—over 50,000 TEU more. In this context, the energy transition is indicated as a key factor, also in connection with projects aiming to make Marghera a hub for the production and logistics of green hydrogen.
For Venice Vecon general manager Daniele Marchiori, the arrival of the new cranes is a concrete sign of PSA Italy’s commitment to Venice, delivering a technological leap that strengthens both operational performance and the terminal’s sustainability. The eRTGs are part of the first tranche of investments for the Venice terminal, within a broader commitment of more than €80 million announced in 2023. In recent years the plan has already brought in new reach stackers, upgrades to yard infrastructure, new reefer racks, improved worker facilities and the use of biofuels to replace traditional diesel for combustion-powered equipment.
«The investment made by Vecon and the simultaneous arrival of the three new electric cranes certainly mark an important step for the entire port supply chain. It is a signal intended to give further productive momentum to the port of Venice, generating knock-on work across the territory, with an increasingly sustainable approach. The focus on “green”», commented Davide Calderan, president of Venice Port Community, «can also be seen in decisions like this—investing in cutting-edge technology as well as keeping a vigilant eye on sustainability. This shows the importance of the port economy for the whole city, the Region and the country as a whole».
