The Vado Gateway in northern Italy, traditionally known for its expertise in reefer handling, experienced a remarkable 284% year-on-year increase in vehicle import volumes in 2023, followed by a strong performance in early 2024.
This surge in activity suggests that the terminal has found a successful strategy to attract roll-on roll-off customers.
Benefiting from the post-Covid recovery of the automobile market and a notable uptick in imports of electric vehicles from Asia to Europe, the timing couldn’t have been better for the terminal to refocus its efforts on this segment.
Santi Casciano, CEO of Vado Gateway and Reefer Terminal, acknowledges that the recent drop in demand for EVs has led to congestion issues at various roll-on roll-off facilities across Europe, making it an opportune moment for Vado Gateway to step up its game.
The terminal’s success can be attributed to its robust infrastructure, particularly the Reefer Terminal, which boasts a 460-meter-long Ro-Ro quay, an off-dock rail facility with four lanes spanning 450 meters, facilitating seamless connections with key markets in Northern Italy.
In addition, the Container Terminal’s drafts can accommodate ships of up to 17.25 meters in length. Looking ahead, plans are underway to expand the rail facility’s capacity by extending the tracks to 750 meters by 2026.
“Our infrastructure, and experience accrued over the year means that the Vado Gateway port system has all the technical features and skills necessary to serve this market with the highest standards and is a candidate to become one of the main Mediterranean gateways for automotive logistics. Our well-connected rail network can also contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and overall improving the environmental sustainability of the entire supply chain,” stated Santi Casciano.
Moreover, this month saw the formation of a new partnership named Vehicle Logistic Vado (VLV). This collaboration involves XCA-Arcese, a leading provider of multi-modal vehicle transportation services in Europe, and the Fratelli Cosulich Group, renowned for its expertise in shipping and logistics.
According to a statement, together, they will invest in a strategically positioned secure area tailored specifically for Finished Vehicle Logistics operations near the Vado Ligure port complex. VLV aims to position itself as the premier gateway to the European market, providing a compelling alternative to ports in the North.
By leveraging the expertise of APM Terminals in roll-on roll-off operations and utilizing the port infrastructure effectively, this partnership will offer customers a fully integrated supply chain solution for vehicle logistics in Europe. This initiative holds the potential to establish Vado as the primary gateway for vehicle imports into Europe.
