In 2024, RO- RO cargo had the highest unit value (€/ton) for both imports and exports.

According to data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), the total traffic of Italian ports exceeded 500 million tons eight times between 2000 and 2024: in every year from 2005 to 2008, and in the periods 2018-2019 and 2021-2022. The best results were recorded during the period 2006-2008, with the record reaching 537 million tons in 2007. The worst results were in 2014, with 443 million tons according Shipping Italy 

Up to 2007, Italian ports topped the list of ports among EU (Table A).

During this period, up to 2007, Italian ports topped the list of ports among the member states of the European Union (Table A).In subsequent years, the Netherlands overtook it, while Italy consistently held second place ahead of Spain (except in 2017). The gap with the Netherlands narrowed to less than 60 million tons in the last two years. It is worth noting, however, that UK ports consistently exceeded 500 million metric tons annually from 2000 to 2014

Methodological differences

The statistics from the National Institute of Statistics, in addition to covering the entire national port area, differ from those of the port system authorities in terms of collection, processing, and monitoring methods. Furthermore, there are methodological differences as well.

 2007 as the reference year for comparisons with 2024.

Unless otherwise indicated, 2007 will be used as the reference year for comparisons with 2024. In terms of the origin/destination of goods, while international traffic declined between 2007 and 2024, most significantly for unloaded goods (CAGR -1.25%), cabotage transport increased (+6%). With regard to international traffic, between 2000 and 2024, on average, loaded goods accounted for 26% of the total.

Regarding packaging methods (Table B),

Regarding packaging methods (Table B), the greatest growth over the period 2007-2024 was recorded by Ro-Ro transport (+38%), followed by container transport (also thanks to the transhipment component). Liquid (-19%) and solid (-37%) bulk cargoes, as well as non-unitized general cargo, decreased. These declines are primarily attributable to a contraction in the supply of energy products (oil and coal) as well as metal ores and construction materials.

Regarding container cabotage,

In cabotage, between 2007 and 2024, containerized cargo (CAGR 3.3%) and ro-ro cargo (CAGR 1.7%) grew. Other packaging methods, however, declined. Regarding container cabotage, it is worth remembering that the hub-and-spoke method counts the same container (and its cargo) three times in the overall statistical data, contributing to distorting the perception of the traffic's importance if the performance of the terminal where the transhipment takes place is not considered.

Eurostat allows for a more detailed analysis

Eurostat allows for a more detailed analysis—defined as the composition of the main products or prevalent types—in relation to the different packaging methods. A focus for 2024 shows: liquid bulk (43% crude oil, 40% refined petroleum, 7% liquefied gas); solid bulk (21% agricultural products, 18% iron ore, 9% coal); containerized goods (44% in 40-foot containers, 43% in 20-foot containers); ro-ro goods (48% in unaccompanied vehicles, 43% in accompanied vehicles), and other miscellaneous goods (41% metallurgical products). Eurostat also reports a contraction for the first quarter of 2025, compared to the first quarter of the previous two years.

In the period 2000-2024,

In the period 2000-2024, the average value of tons handled per capita in Italian ports was 8.2 tons (9.2 in 2007), with a resident population that has steadily declined over the last ten years (-1.42 million).According to data compiled by the Bank of Italy on foreign trade by sea (Table C) – not to be confused with Italian port movements – the only cargo handling methods that increased in the period 2007-2024, by direction, were containerized imports and ro-ro exports. In 2024, RO- RO cargo had the highest unit value (€/ton) for both imports and exports.

Related : Italian ports handling leaps during the second half of 2025

Source :Shipping Italy 

#Italian ports #Italian National Institute #foreign trade by sea #UK ports #period 2007-2024 #Eurostat