Rail freight transport never stopped even during the first lockdown and today it remains crucial in the current emergency context. During the lockdown last March, the FS Italiane Group led by Gianfranco Battisti, with its Polo Mercitalia, transported over 5 million tonnes of medicines, medical materials, food, electronic products and much more to Italy and Europe .
But for the circulation of rail freight transport, the intermodal terminals located throughout the country are of fundamental importance, many of these managed by Italian FS through the company Terminali Italia (100% controlled by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana), with functions of sole manager of the first and last mile railway services. If we consider the tons of goods handled, Terminali Italia can be considered virtually the 5th Italian port.
In this context characterized by the pandemic, Terminali Italia represents the Italian reference point for intermodal traffic, having demonstrated a great resilience capacity and guaranteeing full operations in complete safety. Even if the health protocols have increased transit times, Terminali Italia is guaranteeing the same production volumes to its customers and, at the same time, is compensating for any "inefficiencies" of foreign networks and/or railway companies which have suffered instead of slowdowns.
Despite the increase in production recorded in the first months of the year compared to 2019 (equal to around 4%), the company recorded a decline during the months of lockdown (equal to 12,2%). However, the acquisition of new traffic in the last quarter has allowed the company to record a growth trend which, according to estimates, lead to a containment of the annual production drop of around 4% (compared to 2019).
In detail, the 2019 production allowed the movement of 740.000 unit (of which 342.000 units only thanks to Verona Quadrante Europa), developing 23.5000 trains (about 75 per day), with revenues of 36.5 million and a net profit equal to 8,9% of revenues. Furthermore, the overall modal shift achieved by the company allows for a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere equal to 422 million kg/year equivalent.
Active in 15 Terminals located from North to South, Terminali Italia operates within the national cargo terminals and deals, in addition to the typical handling service of combined transport (translation of ITUs from trains to trucks and vice versa), also with the terminalization of units with delivery and redelivery by truck and management of stops and technical storage of the units such as to guarantee the completion of the transport cycle to the customer.
Here is the list of intermodal terminals: Verona Quadrante Europa, Bari Ferruccio, Bologna Interporto, Brescia Scalo, Brindisi, Brindisi Polimeri, Castelguelfo, Catania Bicocca, Gela, Livorno Guasticce, Maddaloni Marcianise, Marzaglia, Milan Segrate, Turin Orbassano, Villa Selva and Roma Smistamento (under modernisation). Let's take a closer look at them.
Verona Europe Quadrant
Verona Quadrante Europa, spearhead of the Terminali Italia network, is positioned at the crossroads of Mediterranean and Scandinavian-Mediterranean corridors. It represents a fundamental junction for the North-South route, through the Brenner Pass, and for the East-West connections, the main axis of development for Italian companies that export to Eastern Europe.
It is located on an area of 230.000 m² (of which 110.000 dedicated to storage) divided into 3 modules for a total of 15 rails with lengths from 450 to 690 meters, 4 gantry cranes, 3 overhead cranes, 5 wheeled cranes, 9 semi-trailer trucks, 3 shunting locomotives and, lastly, 72 workers.
Thanks to its strategic position, it develops approx 16 thousand trains/year. The Terminal is also connected to Quadrante Servizi of the Zai Consortium (an important railway logistics hub towards Northern Europe). Furthermore, the entire Verona node is being redefined for the entry of the Brescia-Verona-Vicenza high-speed section. A new intermodal terminal is being planned, with a 750-metre module which will involve the infrastructural adaptation of the current station, which will also receive future trains from the new Brenner Base Tunnel.
Milan Segrate
The Sagrate terminal is connected to the Tangenziale Est of Milan (exit Rubattino), and is connected daily with Belgium, Holland, Germany and Southern Italy. The plant is spread over an area of 145.000 square meters of 8 tracks with a length from 340 to 560 meters.
Bari
The plant covers 160.000 square meters (60.000 dedicated to storage) and has 10 tracks with a length of 550 meters, 3 wheeled cranes and 2 shunting locomotives.
Bologna interport
Located inside the interport of Bologna, the Terminal connects Emilia Romagna with the main ports of Northern Italy (Genoa, Livorno and La Spezia). The plant is also connected with Belgium, Germany and Southern Italy. It spreads over an area of 246.000 square meters (120.000 dedicated to storage) and has 15 tracks from 440 to 750 meters in length. For a total capacity of about 200.000 units/year.
Brescia Scalo
Located in the city centre, inside the "Piccola speed" freight yard, the plant covers an area of 25.000 m3.000 (4 of which dedicated to storage) and has 450 tracks of XNUMX m in length.
Catania Bicocca
Located within the industrial area of Catania, the Terminal has 4 tracks 430 meters long and an area of 32.000 m8.000 (of which XNUMX dedicated to storage), and is served by rail links with Lamezia and Milan.
Leghorn Guasticce (Calandrone)
Equipped with 4 tracks 600 meters long, it is located inside the Interporto of Guasticce on an area of 156.000 square meters (of which 50.000 dedicated to storage), and is connected to the Livorno Calambrone plant, served by railway connections with Florence .
Turin Orbassano
The facility is located west of Turin and has 3 platforms and an area of 70.000 m30.000 (XNUMX dedicated to storage). The main train connections are with Paris and Charleroy.
Toast Stopover
Located 3 km from the commercial port, the terminal is equipped with 5 tracks with a length of 540 to 600 meters, over an area of 55.000 m10.000 (of which XNUMX dedicated to storage) and is served by rail links with Bari, Castelguelgo, VillaSelva .
Intermodal rail transport plays a strategic role in the current Coronavirus emergency. Not only to contain the contagion, as it involves a smaller number of people, but also to support the already badly hit economy. Furthermore, it is essential to guarantee the distribution of basic necessities, as well as the functioning of the manufacturing companies, maintaining the connection with the rest of Europe.
