Shifting geopolitical dynamics influence the characteristics of Ligurian seaports
In the face of international geopolitical storms, maritime traffic in Ligurian ports has demonstrated remarkable resilience. According to a recent analysis, maritime traffic in regional ports increased by 0.8% in 2024.
The increase can be attributed to a modest rise in short sea tonnage traffic, with both imports and exports increasing by less than 1%. This growth involved about 1.1 million tonnes of additional traffic, despite declines in coastwise domestic movements of liquid and dry bulk cargoes, primarily driven by reductions in crude oil and other dry bulk movements. Conversely, there was a 6% increase in coastwise Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off) tonnage, driven by higher vehicle traffic, which partially offset declines in bulk cargoes.
Globally, factors such as trade dynamics with major partners like the United States, United Kingdom, and Turkey, showed varying growth in maritime transport volumes to and from the EU, reflecting a complex trade environment amid economic uncertainties. This balance contributed to a net slight increase in maritime traffic.
Regarding cargo handling in the Italian ports of Savona-Vado, Genoa, and La Spezia, while detailed 2024 port-specific cargo tonnage data for these individual ports was not directly provided, broader trends indicate that Genoa, one of Italy’s largest ports, saw a significant container traffic increase in Q1 2025, driven by surges in imports from the US ahead of tariff fears, which may reflect ongoing momentum from 2024.
The increase in container traffic is consistent with a general rise in deep sea imports (+11% increase in deep sea imports tonnage), a sector where major ports like Genoa and La Spezia traditionally play key roles. No specific tonnage comparisons for Savona-Vado, Genoa, and La Spezia were found in this data, but these ports are principal hubs on the Ligurian coast, usually handling comparable volumes of containerized and other cargo types, often competing regionally.
In summary, the 0.8% increase reflects a combination of stable or growing container imports and Ro-Ro vehicle traffic, balancing declines in traditional bulk cargo handling, within a mixed global trade environment. The recovery in maritime traffic showed positive results in the fourth quarter of 2023.
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- The growth in maritime traffic in Ligurian ports, despite economic uncertainties and declines in certain cargo sectors, can be linked to the broader policy and political environment, with global trade dynamics playing a significant role.
- Amid the complexities of international politics and the backdrop of general-news events, the increase in container traffic in Genoa, one of Italy's largest ports, offers insights into the resilience of maritime transport and the ongoing impacts of policy decisions on trade volumes.
