Interporto Bologna SpA has become one of the founding members of a new regional logistics initiative, ROLER (Rete Operatori Logistica Emilia-Romagna), aimed at fostering the development of rail freight transport within the region. The network also includes Dinazzano Po SpA, SAPIR SpA, and Rail Traction Company SpA. The project brings together key intermodal logistics operators and seeks to bolster the role of railways in the region’s freight flows.
ROLER’s objective is to double rail transport volumes in Emilia-Romagna – a goal set against the backdrop of declining figures in recent years (dropping from 21.8 million tons in 2022 to 19.2 million tons in 2024), as well as a projected 3.7% overall decline in rail freight transport across Italy in 2025. Network participants plan to enhance the coordination of their commercial activities, establish unified and competitive services for businesses, and foster collaboration with regional institutions and port authorities – including the Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico Centro Settentrionale (North-Central Adriatic Sea Port System Authority).
Interporto Bologna plays a pivotal role in the project; companies operating within its facility generate a combined turnover exceeding €1.5 billion and provide approximately 11,970 jobs – comprising around 6,970 direct and indirect positions, in addition to up to 5,000 drivers on a daily basis. Stefano Caliandro, President of Interporto Bologna, noted that this agreement marks a significant step toward advancing intermodality, strengthening connections with the Port of Ravenna and the Brenner Corridor, and preparing for the launch of a new terminal in 2027. This new facility will feature five 750-meter tracks and two gantry cranes, thereby substantially increasing the logistics system’s throughput capacity within the region.