Faced with the expected slowdown in the economy, Emilia-Romagna companies plan to turn more and more often to Chinese market for the purchase of raw materials. And the Port of Ravenna is also looking to Beijing, but to strengthen its position at an international level. The new strategy was discussed at the «Transport logistics China 2024» fair in Shanghai where Candiano was the protagonist together with the Region in the dedicated stand.
The pact with China
“From 2026 – they say from Viale Aldo Moro – the port will expand freight traffic with China”, intensifying connections by ship while “many” Chinese operators will choose the Ravenna port as the most convenient landing place thanks to the rail connections with the north Europe.
This is how it ended institutional mission of the Region led by the Councilor for Infrastructure, Trade and Tourism, Andrea Corsini, which focused on participation in one of the most important fairs in the logistics sector of the Land of the Rising Sun, which took place in Shanghai from 25 to 27 June. Thanks to the important investments of the Region in the port of Ravenna, over 700 million euros between RFI, AdSP, Cipe, EIB and Pnrr funds he explains, “we have what it takes to accredit the port of Emilia-Romagna as a strategic hub for the development of international freight traffic”. Not to mention the imminent construction of the new container terminal which will develop new lines for the transport of goods.
The subjects involved
“The interest of many Chinese operators in Shanghai, the increase in connections from 2026 – Corsini emphasizes – demonstrate that we are on the right track”. Now, he concludes, the government “should speed up with the green light to the establishment of the Simplified Logistics Zone to allow Emilia-Romagna to continue to be the driving force of the country”. With Corsini in Shanghai, also went the Councilor for the Port of the Municipality of Ravenna Annagiulia Randi, representatives of the Fondazione Istituto trasporti logistica, and some members of the Eric regional intermodal Cluster: Port Authority of Ravenna, Sapir, Terminal container Ravenna and Dp Dinazzano-Po. B2B meetings were held at the stand of the Region with about fifteen important Chinese logistics and transport companies, as well as with representatives of the Gdl Logistica of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China.
The objectives
«We aim to become a point of reference for logistics and goods transport from China – Corsini had in fact anticipated when leaving for the Shanghai fair – The Port of Ravenna is part of the restricted list of European “core ports” and is part of two corridors of Ten-T transport, the Baltic-Adriatic corridor and the Mediterranean corridor, which provide for the strengthening of road and railway infrastructures to increase rail freight transport. It can therefore be an easy landing place for goods coming from China, and a starting point for goods towards northern Europe.”
