The new Traxx Universal™ DC locomotives of the FS Group Logistics Center are operational from today between Campania and the port of Gioia Tauro.
Delivered on Monday 6 May from Alstom to Mercitalia Rail, the new locomotives are equipped with Ultimo Miglio technology, an innovative element that allows the train to be connected to non-electrified areas without the aid of shunting locomotives.
Precisely for these characteristics, their use has been envisaged for connections to and from the port of Gioia Tauro, to support the import/export of the Italian automotive sector.
“Thanks to the placing of these new locomotives on the tracks we are giving a qualitative change to the services offered in the port of Gioia Tauro – he declared Sabrina De Filippis, CEO of Mercitalia Logistics – The innovative Traxx Universal DC with Last Mile module represent an important step forward for the rail-sea integration also foreseen by the industrial plan of the Logistics Hub. A fundamental combination to increase the share of intermodal traffic of goods through a sustainable and highly efficient transport network, to support the economies of the south and Italian import/export”.
Satisfaction was expressed by the president of the Port System Authority of the Southern Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas, Andrea Agostinelli: “Our commitment to supporting intermodality continues, so that the port of Gioia Tauro takes on an increasingly strong role as a reference logistics hub for the entire South. To this end, I would like to thank Dr. Sabrina De Filippis and her staff for the attention dedicated to the development prospects of our airport, and of course the regional councilor Emma Stainewith which a very fruitful dialogue is underway aimed at improving connections with the ports of the Calabria Region”.
Each connection allows the transport of approximately 200 nationally produced cars from Campania to the Calabrian port where, through the services of the Grimaldi Group, they will leave for export to the United States.
The services are part of Mercitalia Rail's offer to support the automotive sector, which in 2023 saw over 2,700 dedicated trains, with an increase of 10% on 2022, for a total of approximately 300 thousand cars.