The port of Taranto has racked up three consecutive quarters of very marked decline in freight traffic, which has burdened by the reduction in dry bulk volumes related to the crisis in the steel sector, but also by the significant decline in conventional goods. Decreases that are partially attenuated growth in liquid bulk cargo, while the still provides a completely marginal contribution compared to the to the overall activity of the Apulian port of call.

In the first three months of 2026, total traffic amounted to 2.66 million tonnes, with a decrease of -27.4% on the same period of last year. The volume of the dry bulk has halved having amounted to 1.06 million tons (-48.4%), while liquid bulk cargo, with 1.11 million tons, recorded an increase of +27.0%. Almost the traffic of conventional goods was also halved, standing at 390 thousand tons (-46.1%). In the container segment, traffic was 96 thousand tons, with an increase of +1,888.6% generated essentially in March and produced by the airports of the Bora Med service of the French CMA CGM.

In the first quarter of this year, unloaded goods recorded the most marked decrease having been equal to 1.54 million tons (-29.3%), of which 981 thousand tons of Solid bulk (-48.4%), 458 thousand tons of liquid bulk (+71.4%), 5 thousand tons of conventional goods (+250.6%) and 93 thousand tons of conventional goods tons of containerized goods (+2,410.6%). Goods at embarkation totaled 1.12 million tons (-24.6%), including 80 thousand tons of dry bulk (-48.6%), 651 thousand tons of liquid bulk (+7.4%), 386 thousand tons of goods (-46.6%) and 3 thousand tons of container loads (+188,4%).