FS Logistix, together with Automar—part of the Grimaldi Group—and GTA, has launched a new rail corridor dedicated to automotive logistics, connecting the Italian cities of Livorno, Pontecagnano, and Gioia Tauro. The project aims to develop intermodal transport and reduce environmental impact by shifting vehicle transport from road to rail.
The new connection was designed to address the automotive sector’s main challenges by integrating road and rail transport with logistics terminals into a more efficient supply chain. According to estimates, using the new service will reduce emissions by approximately 4,800 metric tons of CO₂ per year, contributing to the decarbonization of freight transport.
“Through the Livorno–Pontecagnano–Gioia Tauro route, we are putting rail transport at the service of a strategic sector such as the automotive industry, helping to reduce pressure on road transport, increase the reliability of logistics flows, and strengthen the competitiveness of the Italian logistics system,” said Sabrina De Filippis, General Manager of FS Logistix.
The rail service will be operated by Mercitalia Rail and will run on the Livorno–Pontecagnano, Pontecagnano–Gioia Tauro, and Gioia Tauro–Livorno routes, with the aim of ensuring regular transport schedules, more efficient operations, and optimal management of freight volumes.
The corridor will connect Italy’s main automotive terminals
The project creates a permanent rail corridor between the Piazzale II Faldo terminal in Livorno, managed by GTA, and the Automar terminal in Gioia Tauro, two of Italy’s most important logistics hubs for vehicle transport. The Automar terminal in Pontecagnano will serve as an intermediate hub within a round-trip rail transport system.
Among the project’s benefits are the integration of the logistics hubs in Livorno, Pontecagnano, and Gioia Tauro; the optimization of port operations; the balancing of freight flows between northern and southern Italy; the reduction of empty truck runs; and the mitigation of the effects of the shortage of professional drivers.
Shifting a significant portion of vehicle transport to rail will also help reduce road congestion and CO₂ emissions, while enhancing service continuity and the resilience of logistics chains.
The port of Gioia Tauro will play a strategic role, consolidating its position as the main point of entry into Italy for vehicle shipments from the Far East destined for the Italian and European markets. Unloading the vehicles at the Calabrian port and subsequently transferring them by rail to Livorno will reduce vessel laytime, streamline port operations, and accelerate distribution to final destinations.
The project is the result of a collaboration between Automar, FS Logistix, and GTA, initiated with the support of ALIS (Association for Sustainable Intermodal Logistics), an organization that facilitates the development of partnerships among its members to accelerate intermodality and increase the competitiveness of Italy’s logistics sector.
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