Rail freight struggles

This growth in total TEUs did not translate into higher rail freight volumes for Ports of Genoa. The number of trains dropped by 14.2% to 7,935, while TEUs fell by 11.6% to 322,451. The modal share of rail freight was 13,2%, which is “two percentage points lower compared to 2024”, the port authority said. Some good news came from non-containerised goods, which grew by 17% in 2025, especially thanks to the new services launched from Savona.

Waiting for the Terzo Valico

One project that is expected to boost rail freight is the Terzo Valico. This new infrastructure will create a link between Genoa, its ports and Tortona through a tunnel system which will also include the longest rail tunnel in Italy. After numerous delays, the opening should happen in the next couple of years. This will finally provide one of Italy’s most important ports with a modern rail connection to the Rhine-Alpine TEN-T Corridor, Europe’s most important logistics axis.

Towards the Terzo Valico

This section is part of the Genoa Junction package, a number of initiatives aimed at improving rail connectivity to, from and through the city. These works will make up the access to the Terzo Valico, a brand new line which will start at the port of Pra’ and connect to the larger TEN-T North Sea-Rhine-Mediterranean corridor (formerly known as Rhine-Alpine).

The Terzo Valico, which should be completed in the next couple years, will connect the Genoan ports to Tortona through a new base tunnel of 27 kilometres in length. This will create a rail connection better equipped and meeting EU standards for the transport of, for example, semi-trailers all the way to Europe’s largest ports in Rotterdam and Antwerp.

New digging technique

The section where firedamp was found is thought to be 600 metres long, but there is no certain answer. Thus, if the section is found to be longer, the timeline would be further extended. The new digging method proposed entails controlled explosions and data measurements every 50 metres. Once this starts in April, it will take four or five months to delineate a new timeline for the opening of the Terzo Valico, Rixi specified.

‘Money is not an issue’

Postponing the inauguration of the Terzo Valico might mean that Italy will miss out on European funds coming from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, as the four billion euros allocated are conditional on the 2026 deadline. However, Rixi tried to calm the waters by saying that ‘only’ 200 million would be lost for the still-unrealised projects, which the government can cover.

What about the rest of the infrastructure?

Despite its objective importance for the Italian railway infrastructure, the opening of the Terzo Valico will not solve all the problems along the country’s section of the Rhine-Alpine axis. The new line will run from Genoa to Tortona but, to reach Milan and then the rest of Europe, many other projects need to be completed.

The Tortona-Milan line, for example, needs to quadrupled, just like the Monza-Chiasso section leading into Switzerland. However, the Italian government does not seem to be prioritising these initiatives. The former might be ready in the 2030s, while the latter does not even have a clear schedule. In other words, the Terzo Valico by itself cannot bring all the expected improvements by itself until the rest of the infrastructure is not adapted as well.

Preparing for the Terzo Valico

The line running through Pavia, which is the one affected by the works, will be fully closed between 21 July and 29 August, while only one track will be available between 1 June and 20 July and 30 August and 28 September. Other than replacing the bridge, Italy is also working on quadrupling the whole Milan Rogoredo-Pavia stretch.

All these initiatives are in view of the opening of the so-called Terzo Valico, a rail tunnel connecting Genoa and its port to the Rhine-Alpine axis. Once completed, the new infrastructure will link Genoa to Tortona through the longest railway tunnel in Europe at over 27 kilometres.

Moreover, it seems that convoys will initially have to run on a single-track, with no clear deadline for when the whole infrastructure will be ready. The main issues causing these delays are of geological nature. Most of the line will be in tunnels, the digging of which has often been disrupted by high pressure of the ground above or the presence of gas. So far, only the northernmost section of the Terzo Valico, linking Tortona with Rivalta Scrivia, has been commissioned.

What about the Tortona-Milan section?

The following section of the corridor, between Tortona and Milan, also needs to be quadrupled to fully exploit the benefit of the Terzo Valico. The timeframe for this project, which was divided into two sections, remains somewhat vague. RFI confirmed that the Milan-Pieve Emanuele section will be completed by 2026, but for the Pieve Emanuele-Pavia section the project is still seeking authorisations and funds. “Without the quadrupling of the Tortona-Milan railway line, the benefits of the Third Valico risk remaining incomplete”, said Italian senator Lorenzo Basso.

‘RFF deadline will be met’

“The Government has secured all the necessary funds to complete the work within the timeframe set by the Recovery and Resilience Facility”, the Italian railway holding Ferrovie dello Stato specified. Back in 2022, a few worries surfaced concerning the timely commissioning of the project due to a number of tunnel-boring machines not functioning due to geological conditions. Moreover, to speed up the completion of the Terzo Valico, WeBuild and the Italian infrastructure manager Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, injected 700 million euros into the project. The whole line should be commissioned by the end of 2025, with operations starting in mid-2026.

Also read:

• Switzerland and Italy to fund upgrade of key Rhine-Alpine section
• TEN-T corridors merger still leaves questions for rail freight
• Northern Italy prepares to handle more 750-metre trains

With the new economic impulse, RFI and WeBuild are aiming at making thighs faster. The Italian Deputy Minister of Transport Edoardo Rixi specified that the 700 million euros mentioned will come from the Italian Recovery and Resiliency Facility (RRF). Rixi claimed that the deadlines set by the RRF “will push the companies involved to proceed quickly with the completion of the work”.

The Terzo Valico dei Giovi

In essence, the Terzo Valico dei Giovi will be a new cross-alpine railway line connecting Genoa, in Liguria, and Tortona, in Piedmont. The new section will run for 53 kilometres, 37 of which are in tunnels, and will be suitable for the transportation of semi-trailers. It will create a new starting point for the TEN-T Rhine-Alpine Corridor, stretching from Genoa to Rotterdam, two of Europe’s major ports. Construction started in 2013, with RFI financing the whole initiative. The initial cost was set at six billion euros, but now it might be closer to nine. Other than these 700 million euros, the Italian Budget Law for 2024 allocated an additional 350 million for the project. According to WeBuild, almost 90 per cent of the tunnels for the Terzo Valico have been dug.

Also read:

• TEN-T corridors merger still leaves questions for rail freight
• Another piece of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor in Genoa falls into place
• Rhine-Alpine Corridor: what to expect with the coming upgrades

Applying Horizontal Directional Drilling to rail projects

The project for the Facchini Tunnel 1 entailed the demolition of the old tunnel and the reconstruction of a new one by using Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology. Using HDD, as WeBuild, the company in charge of the project, mentioned, “created a sort of protective cap for the excavations”. The company claims that it is the first time that this technology was applied in the railway sector.

Moreover, various holes were drilled at the top of the tunnel to inject materials that would make the ground more stable. Another peculiarity of the Facchini Tunnel 1 upgrade was the implementation of a metal protection shell at the south side entrance of the tunnel during the first phase of the project. This, as WeBuild specified, allowed trains to keep running while consolidation works were being carried out. However, during the second phase, which lasted eight months, rail freight traffic along this line had to be suspended to ensure 24/7 construction activities.

The port of Genoa will be at the RailFreight Connects

The synergies between ports, terminals, and rail infrastructure have recently been under the spotlight, especially in Europe, where ports are increasingly investing in improving rail connectivity. The port of Genoa is just one example of how European ports are planning to boost rail freight. Mario Franzone, Planning and Development Department for the EU Policy and Logistics Office at Ports of Genoa will be part of a panel discussion with representatives of HHLA and the port of Bilbao at the RailFreight Connects.

The RailFreight Connects will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bremen, Germany, on 6 and 7 September and will be the perfect opportunity for the industry to discuss how these synergies can be boosted. Other than the ones mentioned above, representatives from Nevomo, Lohr, DB Netz, UIRR, and more are among the already confirmed speakers. You can find out more about the RailFreight Connects here and retrieve your tickets here.

Also read:

• Germany proposes Rhine Valley rail alternative, will it follow through?
• New funds for ERTMS implementation in the Netherlands, but is it enough?
• What does the European TEN-T revision mean for rail?

Increased capacity coming soon

Initially, the convoys will have a maximum length of 500 metres. However, the Port of Genoa and Italian infrastructure manager Rete Ferroviaria Italiana are planning an upgrade that would enable the handling of 750-metre trains. Moreover, capacity for this service is expected to increase once the Genoa Junction (Terzo Valico in Italian) will open in 2025.

The Genoa Junction Project will be a railway section that will connect Genoa, in Liguria, with Tortona, in Piedmont, both in northwestern Italy. The Pass will therefore connect the port of Genoa with the Po Valley and the rest of Northern Italy and thus Europe by being integrated into the TEN-T Rhine-Alpine corridor.

Not the first ‘Express’ service for PSA Italy

The Stuttgart Express is not the first service of this kind launched by PSA Italy. In 2018, the company started the Southern Express service, connecting Genoa with Basel, in Switzerland. This service has three weekly roundtrips. In March 2022, this connection was extended to Wolfurt, in western Austria.

Also read:

• Italy plans new hub to boost intermodality on Rhine-Alpine corridor
• Relaunching of rail steel transport confirms modal shift in port of Genoa
• Port of Genoa: the Genoa Junction Project might be delayed one year
• Port of La Spezia: 160 million euros to boost rail freight

Three unions, Feneal, Filca, and Fillea, proclaimed a strike at the Genoa Junction construction sites for the three 8-hour shifts following the accident. Sources from Feneal said that the majority of the workers took part in the strike, reaching 100 per cent attendance from the group working at the site of the accident.

An avoidable tragedy?

Investigations concerning the tragedy are still currently underway. One of the most accredited explanations is that the leak was caused by the tunnel caisson being removed. Both the Minister and Feneal said that all the safety checks were carried out before the start of the shift, and no issue was detected. Sources from Feneal said that many workers pointed out that rescues could have been faster.

Both workers, in fact, got out of the tunnel on their own legs despite the burns and wounds. However, the younger worker did not survive and passed away on the way to the hospital. The second worker was luckier, considering his wounds were not too critical, and he was discharged from the hospital after a few hours.

A Feneal spokesperson highlighted that the union had a meeting with the Prefect less than two weeks ago, claiming that there is a significant shortage of provincial inspectors. For the whole province of Alessandria, in fact, there are only two inspectors due to constant cuts in the sector.

A Very Italian Problem

Dying while on the job is, unfortunately, an old and persisting problem in Italy. As a spokesperson from Feleal underlined, “it’s as if every year a small town disappears”. Since 2013, in fact, these tragedies, also called “white deaths” have been increasing, with the exception of 2021. Well over 1,000 workers lose their lives almost every year in Italy while on the job, making it one of the highest rates in Europe.

According to Rete Iside, an association for social intervention, 2023 started as bad as its predecessors. In fact, over 100 workers have already passed away while working in Italy since the beginning of the year. This is why many unions and associations are pledging the Italian government to implement the crime of homicide on the job. This would ensure harsher punishments for those responsible for white deaths. However, this decree has been discussed for almost a decade and it still has not been converted into a law.

The Genoa Junction Project

In its totality, the Genoa Junction Project will be a railway section that will connect Genoa, in Liguria, with Tortona, in Piedmont, both in northwestern Italy. The Pass will therefore connect the port of Genoa with the Po Valley and the rest of Northern Italy and thus Europe by being integrated into the TEN-T Rhine-Alpine corridor.

Works have commenced in 2013 for a total estimated cost of over 6 billion euros. The railway line will be 53 kilometres long, 37 of which are in tunnels, crossing 14 towns. One of the advantages of the Third Pass is that it will allow goods coming by ships from China to shift to the rail in the port of Genoa instead of reaching the North Sea. This option would save five days of transit time for ships coming from the Far East.

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