TRIESTE – The Port Authority of Trieste has released the traffic data for the first half of 2021: total volumes -1.95%, trains +19.47%, Ro-Ro +38.87%, Teu -2.29%. These are undoubtedly strong signs of recovery, also highlighted by the Port of Monfalcone, which closed the first six months of the year with an overall +2.98%.
There were 25,747,230 tons of goods handled in total in Trieste, with a decrease of 1,95%. A minus sign for dry bulk (-22.45%) and liquid bulk (-7.17%), with 16,940,912 tons of handled goods. The latter figure shows a containment of the drop compared to the first quarter (-27.80%), while in the single month of June there is a growth of +12.11%.
But it is the railway traffic – which returned to pre-Covid levels with 4,657 trains – and the Ro-Ro sector (+ 38.87% and 147,760 units transited) that give the greatest hopes for a reversal of the trend. There are positive data also for the miscellaneous goods sector (+11.23%), and 8,569,262 tons handled. On the other hand, there was a slight decrease in containers (-2.29%) with 367,634 TEU: a drop due to empty Teu (-22.56%) against an increase in full Teu (+3.67%). There was also a significant increase in hinterland traffic (direct gateway), which recorded double-digit growth (+13.10%), while transhipment showed a significant drop (-26.27%). Data also show strong dynamism for containerised traffic on the Ro-Ro line to/from Turkey, in the continuous expansion (+48.05%) with 52,068 Teu.
The Port Authority estimates that the growth trend of the second quarter (+16.42%) will soon lead to a recovery in traffic volumes to pre-crisis levels. The total tonnage of the port in the single month of June, in fact, recorded a sustained growth (+12.73%), thanks to the recovery of post-pandemic consumption and the restarting of economic activities.
An Important change of pace is also detected for the port of Monfalcone, which in the first half of 2021 grew (+2.98%) with 1,623,561 tons of handled goods. The increase was driven by the dry bulk sector (+12.09%) with 1,184,377 tonnes. Metallurgical products, the prevailing segment of the sector, showed a positive variation (+19.49%) with 1,111,366 tons handled, resulting as the first commodity type by volume in Portorosega. A negative balance was recorded for miscellaneous goods (-15.53%), mainly due to the prolonged difficulties in the paper sector. Instead, there are positive results for the commercial vehicles sector (+21.63%) and containers (+74.51%).