In the first 4 months of 2024, the Port of Ravenna handled a total of 8,093,578 tonnes, down 6.7% (over 582 thousand tonnes less) compared to the same period in 2023.
Landings were equal to 7,039,722 tonnes and loadings equal to 1,053,856 tonnes (respectively, -6.7% and -6.6% compared to the first 4 months of 2023).
The number of vessel calls was 813, with 26 more calls (+3.2%) compared to 2023.
The month of April 2024 recorded a total movement of 1,983,764 tonnes, down 7.9% (over 169 thousand tonnes less) compared to the same month of 2023.
Analyzing goods for packaging, in the first quarter of 2024 it can be seen that dry goods (solid bulk, various and unitised goods) – with a movement of 6,542,651 tonnes – decreased by 7.5% (over 530 thousand tonnes in less) compared to the same period of 2023, goods unitized in containers, with 711,977 tonnes, fell by 14.8%, goods on rolling stock (571,124 tonnes) recorded a -7.7% and liquid products, with a movement of 1,550,926 tons decreased by 3.2% compared to 2023.
The agri-food sector (foodstuffs and agricultural products), with 1,446,613 tonnes of goods, recorded a decline of 24.1% in the first 4 months of 2024 (approximately 460 thousand tonnes less) compared to the same period of 2023.
Analyzing the performance of the individual product categories, the movement of cereals was more than halved and equal to 344,095 tonnes (-52.9% and 387 thousand tonnes less), while the movement of flours, equal to 350,033 tonnes, grew by 17 .0% compared to 2023.
Landings of oilseeds decreased, with 381,234 tons (-8.5%) and animal and vegetable oils, with a movement of 198,703 tons (-27.3%).
Construction materials recorded a total movement of 1,336,647 tonnes, a decrease of 12.1% compared to 2023 (over 184 thousand tonnes less); in particular, raw materials for the production of ceramics in the Sassuolo district were decreasing, with 1,190,757 tonnes (-14.1%, and 195,451 tonnes less). However, it should be noted that, since February, raw materials for ceramics have shown a sign of recovery and in April they increased by 12.8% compared to April 2023
Compared to the same period of 2023, the movement of metallurgical products increased, equal to 1,932,169 tonnes, + 6.3% compared to the same period of 2023 (almost 114 thousand tonnes more).
The data for petroleum products is also positive, equal to 884,961 tonnes, over 40 thousand tonnes more than in the same period of 2023 (+4.8%), for chemical products, equal to 405,890 tonnes (+3.6% compared to to 2023, with almost 14 thousand tons more) and for fertilizers, equal to 710,955 tons (+12.2% compared to 2023, with over 77 thousand tons more).
In the first quarter of 2024, containers, with 65,852 TEUs, decreased by 13.2% compared to 2023 (9,973 TEUs less), a decline that affected both full TEUs, equal to 50,385 (76% of the total TEUs ), down 13.7% compared to 2023 (7,993 full TEUs less), and empty TEUs, equal to 15,467, down 11.3% compared to 2023 (1,980 empty TEUs less).
In terms of tonnes, goods transported in containers, equal to 711,976 tonnes, fell by 14.8% compared to 2023.
The number of container ship calls, equal to 147, is 4 calls less than in 2023.
The overall result in the first 4 months of 2023 was positive for trailers and rolling stock, up by 11.7% in terms of number of pieces moved (32,085 pieces, 3,371 more than in 2023), but down by 7.7% in terms of goods moved (571,124 tonnes).
As regards the pieces, the positive data can be attributed to the excellent result of automotive traffic which, in the first 4 months of 2024, recorded 8,244 pieces (6,764 pieces more than in the same period of 2023), again thanks to the of BMW cars headed to East Asian markets.
Negative trend, however, for the trailers of the Ravenna – Brindisi – Catania line in the period January-April 2024, where the pieces moved, equal to 22,638, fell by 15.4% compared to 2023 (4,120 pieces less).
As regards cruise traffic, in the period January-April 2024, 10 cruise ship calls were recorded (compared to 4 in the same period of 2023) for a total of 461 passengers (-82.3%). Until April, all trips were made by a small ship with around forty “transit” passengers on board.
From the first data collected on the PCS, for the month of May 2024, an overall movement of 2.3 million tonnes is estimated, a decrease (-3.2%) compared to the same month last year. A rather positive month in which the first signs of recovery are seen while awaiting the possible rebound expected for the third quarter.
The result of liquid agri-food was positive, increasing by almost 30,000 tonnes (+39.4%), solid agri-food (+14.8%) and oil (+7.2%).
TEUs (+8.0) and containerized goods (+13.6%) also increased in May.
The product categories for which negative data are found, however, are liquid chemical products (-7.3%), fertilizers (-49.4%), metallurgical products (-17.9%) and construction materials (- 4.7%).
The number of trailers moved on the Ravenna-Catania line also fell (-14.5%) and the related goods (-3%).
As regards cruise traffic, in the month of May there were 9 cruise ship dockings for a total of almost 30,000 passengers compared to 27,347 and 8 in May 2023.
In summary, the first 5 months of 2024 should close with an overall movement of almost 10.5 million tonnes, down by approximately 6% compared to the same period in 2023.
As a progression, liquid chemicals (+2.2%), petroleum (+5.3%) and metallurgical (+0.3%) are growing.
However, liquid agri-food products fell by 15.2% and solid agri-food products fell by 15.3%. Construction materials (-10.6%) and fertilizers (-4.3%) also decreased.
The estimate for the first 5 months of 2024 for containers is recovering, but still negative, with over 87 thousand TEUs (over 8,000 TEUs less; -8.7% compared to 2023); from the point of view of volumes handled, goods in containers are estimated to decrease by 9% compared to 2023.
The number of trailers on the Ravenna-Catania line is also decreasing and, in the first 5 months of 2024, they should reach almost 29,000 pieces (almost 3,000 pieces less, -15.2%), while the related goods should be decreasing by 6 .7% compared to that experienced in the same period of 2023.
){kind=link}