2023 ended negatively for the port of Ravenna with an overall contraction of -6.9% in freight traffic Compared to the previous year, a downward trend that is culminating in the most pronounced reduction of -11.9% recorded in the last quarter when 5.82 were handled million tonnes of cargo compared to 6.60 million in the period October-December 2022. In the fourth quarter of last year, the decrease was generated by the reduction of goods to the landings, amounted to 4.95 million tonnes (-14.2%), partially offset by +4.5% growth in goods at the point of embarkation, which amounted to 872 thousand tons. In addition, as in the previous quarters, the increase in volumes of miscellaneous goods is not sufficient to make up for the further slowdown in Bulk.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, only miscellaneous goods totalled 2.52 million tonnes (+8.7%), of which 550 thousand tonnes of containerised goods (+2.9%) made with a Container handling equal to 52 thousand TEUs (+4.3%), 467 thousand tonnes of rolling stock (-5.2%) and 1.50 million tonnes of other miscellaneous goods (+16.4%). Dry bulk, with a total of 2.16 million tonnes, marked a decrease of -28.7% generated by the contraction of volumes of minerals and materials from construction (744 thousand tonnes, -40.0%), cereals (558 thousand tonnes, -37.9%), of foodstuffs, feed and oilseeds (408 thousand tonnes, -7.0%), chemicals (20 thousand tonnes, +109.7%) and other dry bulk (349 thousand tons, -16.2%), with the growth of metallurgical products alone (49 thousand tons, +113.3%) and coal (34 thousand tons, +563.3%). In the sector of liquid bulk, which saw the overall handling of 1.14 million tonnes (-9.2%), crude oil (36 thousand tonnes, +40.4%), petroleum products refined products (526 thousand tonnes, +0.2%) and petroleum products, gaseous, liquefied or compressed gas, and natural gas (120 thousand tonnes, +0.1%), while those of chemical products fell (219 thousand tonnes, -23.6%) and other liquid bulk (240 thousand tonnes) tonnes, -20.0%). In the cruise segment, passengers are 57 thousand (+34.5%), a record number for this time of year.

In 2023 as a whole, the total freight traffic was 25.50 million tonnes, down -6.9% over the previous year, of which 22.11 million tonnes (-7.5%) and 3.39 million tonnes (-2.7%). In the goods sector alone, the global figure was 10.83 million tonnes (+0.5%), including 2.35 million tonnes of containerised cargo (-2.9%) totalled by handling 217 thousand TEUs (-5.0%), 1.87 million tonnes of rolling stock (+2.6%) and 6.61 million tonnes of other miscellaneous goods (+1.1%). Bulk is decreasing: solid loads totalled 10.07 million tonnes (-14.1%) and those liquids 4.60 million tonnes (-5.8%). In the cruises, a new all-time record was set with 331 thousand passengers (+71.4%), of which 281 thousand at disembarkation/embarkation (+81.8%) and 49 thousand in transit (+29.2%).

The Port System Authority of the Central Adriatic Sea Northern recalled that among the factors influencing the traffic dynamics in 2023, the effect of the war in Ukraine, which in 2022 and 2023 resulted in the loss of 1.69 million tonnes of cargo from Ukraine, -58.3% less than in 2021. Ravenna - ha specified the entity - it has always been, in fact, the port of countries bordering the Black Sea and, in particular, Ukraine, from which historically large quantities of raw materials for the ceramic industry and products metallurgical products, as well as cereals, flours and vegetable oils. The District Sassuolo ceramic is the one that has suffered the most, with an import of raw materials from Ukraine practically and the need to search for new sources of alternative procurement. The same goes for the products Metallurgical. In addition, last year a negative impact was was also caused by the flooding in Ravenna and the surrounding areas. with persistent rainfall, flooding, overflowing and landslides from 2 to 17 May that caused heavy damage to the disruptions to road infrastructure and as well as disruption to port work for employees flood victims and the need to protect the safety of days of greater criticality, interrupting the Disembarkation/embarkation.