Port of Trieste: Logistics hub of the Adriatic Sea

09. 06. 2021

In 2019 the Port of Trieste celebrated its 300th anniversary. This Mediterranean Sea port is of great importance for Austria, not just in terms of its history. For the ÖBB Rail Cargo Group, it is particularly important with regards to transports to the Far East.

Austria has a long historical connection with the Port of Trieste. It was founded by Emperor Karl VI in 1719, when Trieste replaced Venice in its leading role in trade with the Middle East and developed into the largest trading centre on the Adriatic Sea.

Today, the Port of Trieste is one of the largest Italian ports and, due to its location, one of the most important for Austria's economy.

Logistics hub characterised by environmental protection

Trieste is a major hub for intercontinental, long-distance maritime, short and medium-distance trade in the Mediterranean.

Ships from Trieste sail directly to China, Singapore or Malaysia with stops at ports in Albania, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, Turkey or Egypt.

Currently, Trieste is connected by more than 400 trains a month with the industrial areas in north-eastern Italy and the hinterland in Central Europe. Approximately 50 million tonnes of goods are transported annually, of which about 30 million tonnes are crude oil.

The remaining traffic volume consists mainly of goods such as coal, wood, minerals and grain. In addition, the Port contributes to climate protection, as the intermodal connection between Trieste and Wels (Upper Austria), Ostrava (Czech Republic) and Munich (Germany) is geared to transporting semi-trailers which are thereby shifted from road to the environmentally friendly rails.

Conveying semi-trailers by rail instead of road can thus save around 40,000 tonnes of CO2.

RCG carried 223,309 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit) in 2019 and currently operates on 10 routes to and from the Port of Trieste:

  • Munich-Trieste 
  • Budapest-Trieste 
  • Villach-Trieste 
  • Ostrava-Trieste 
  • Burghausen-Trieste
  • Salzburg-Trieste 
  • Giengen-Trieste 
  • Trieste-Vienna-Linz 
  • ISU Wels-Trieste 

The port of Trieste currently has a rail share of about 30%. With a market share of about 60% on the international connections, ÖBB Rail Cargo Group is the market leader.

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