Ports: SRM, the Mediterranean’s importance is growing; Italia’s freight volumes set to rise by 3.5 per cent in 2025

Container traffic in the area is estimated to increase by 15% by 2030

(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - The Mediterranean is playing an increasingly central role in global maritime trade, and Italian ports have outperformed the European average in 2025. This is according to the ‘Italian Maritime Economy 2026 Report’ by SRM, a research centre affiliated with the Intesa Sanpaolo Group. The report focuses first on the Mediterranean: despite geopolitical tensions and reduced use of the Suez Canal, the main container ports handled over 72 million TEUs, representing an increase of 5.9 per cent, and the Euro-Mediterranean region accounted for 31 per cent of world trade, worth close to 7,600 billion dollars. The report emphasises that forecasts up to 2030 indicate a 15 per cent increase in Mediterranean container traffic over the five-year period, equivalent to an average annual growth rate of 2.8 per cent, which is higher than the global average.

As regards Italian ports, according to data from the

According to the Port System Authority, total cargo throughput last year reached 511 million tonnes (+3.5 per cent) – comprising 186 million tonnes of liquid bulk, 132 million tonnes of containers and 122 million tonnes of Ro-Ro traffic (the maritime transport of heavy vehicles)

Container traffic reached 12.8 million TEU (+7.1 per cent), driven mainly by strong growth in transhipment activities (+13.3 per cent). Italia remains the European leader in short sea shipping (short-haul maritime freight transport) with 304 million tonnes handled and a market share of 15.6 per cent.