The third annual report on rail freight transport presented today at the Chamber of Deputies by Fermerci, the reference association for operators in the sector, highlights a critical picture that records a decrease in train-km nationwide, a decline in the number of freight trains in the ports, a contraction in activity in the last rail mile and network disruptions extended until 2027.

The data in the report shows that the number of train-km is down for the third year in a row, recording -5% in the period 2021-2024. In national ports, a decline is observed significant: between 2022 and 2024, the total number of trains originally and in destiny it decreased by -6%. A trend that it also concerns the last mile railway installations, compromising the efficiency of the entire logistics chain Train. Further complicating the situation is the protracted railway interruptions due to the construction of of the works envisaged by the PNRR, which will continue at least until 2027, well beyond the initially planned timeline.

The report calls for urgent reflection on the effectiveness of the of the current support tools and the need for strengthening interventions in favour of rail freight transport. Despite some positive signs - such as the efficiency of the network and increasing train capacity - the sector remains and need structural measures to consolidate its role in the ecological transition and competitiveness logistics of the country.

Emphasizing that it is a condition that impacts the operational capacity of operators already under pressure due to critical issues of the sector, the president of Fermerci, Clemente Carta, explained that "the rail freight transport sector needs certainty: it is essential to ensure a regulatory framework, so that companies can plan investments and operate efficiently. We welcome the work in progress on rail infrastructure, which will make the network more safe and harmonized with European standards. However, until completion of these interventions, it is essential provide adequate economic compensation for operators affected by the network outages. In the absence of these measures, the risk concrete is to further compromise the of the sector, already strongly tested by a and an uncertain international context".

"Ferrci - concluded Carta - therefore renews its request to the government to make structural and increase the amounts of the current traffic incentives (ferrobonus and freight rule). It also calls for the refinancing of the incentive for the purchase of Locomotives and railway wagons: companies have already invested over 700 million euros trusting in public support that, for example, Today, it has not yet been disbursed."