Duisport steps up Trieste rail frequency as Cervignano hub role grows

Duisport, the operator of Europe’s largest inland port, is increasing rail frequencies between the northern Adriatic and Germany, with four weekly round trips between Cervignano and Duisburg. The expansion is set to strengthen Cervignano’s role as a consolidation point for freight moving between the Port of Trieste and Central Europe. The increase covers both the international Cervignano–Duisburg service and the shuttle linking HHLA PLT Italy’s terminal in Trieste with the inland terminal at Cervignano. Four shuttle connections per week will now feed traffic from the port into the longer-distance service towards Germany. Cervignano is increasingly being used to bundle maritime volumes from Trieste with other continental traffic before onward transport by rail. The model is intended to create sufficient volumes for more frequent international services while allowing the different operators involved to retain their own commercial relationships with customers. Image: © duisport – Duisburger Hafen AG Duisport has worked with Interporto di Trieste since 2021, with the first rail connections following in 2022. The Trieste–Duisburg route has since developed into one of the more important north-south links in the company’s intermodal network. “Trieste and Duisburg play an important role in the flow of goods between southern Europe and the markets in Central and Northern Europe,” said Kevin Gründer, Head of Terminal and Intermodal Strategy at duisport. “With the additional frequencies, we are increasing flexibility on this route and creating more options for shifting transports to rail.” Operational coordination is handled by +.intermodal, a duisport subsidiary. Duisport said the next step will be to add Wels in Austria to the network in 2027.