Infrastructure investments in Tuscany

Multimodality as the focal point of the European Commission’s new strategy.
Towards the ecological transition for more sustainable logistics.

The Tuscany Region Project

Based on these premises, numerous projects have been launched in the Tuscany Region with the primary objective of enhancing logistics and freight transport infrastructure whilst placing ITAV at the centre of this development.

1. Apennine Tunnels

RFI has planned to broaden the dimension of the Florence-Bologna tunnels, which today constitute bottlenecks in the transit of the so-called Highways of the Sea.

Project Description
The plan is to adapt the dimensions of the Prato-Bologna line to PC/80, which will allow the transit of larger Intermodal Transport Units, such as High Cure and combination trains for handling semi-trailers.
Expected Benefits
  •  Elimination of the main bottleneck constituted by the Apennine tunnels in the Tuscan-Emilian hinterland
  • Strong strategic impact for the port of Livorno, which is the main RO-RO (Roll-On/Roll-Off) port in the Mediterranean and a national hub

2. Darsena Europa

With the new terminal connected to the road and rail network, Darsena Europa represents the future of the Port of Livorno.

Project Description

Darsena Europa is an expansion project that will make the Port of Livorno more modern, functional and competitive, rendering all of Tuscany more accessible and fully integrated into the Mediterranean trading system.

Expected Benefits
  • New container terminal
  • A new terminal dedicated to the European project
  • Highways of the Sea
  • New oil terminal

3. Railway Overpass

The railway overpass bridge on the Tirrenica line shall facilitate the direct connection between the Port of Livorno quays and the Retro Porto.

Project Description

Darsena Europa is an expansion project that will make the Port of Livorno more modern, functional and competitive, rendering all of Tuscany more accessible and fully integrated into the Mediterranean trading system.

Expected Benefits
  • Overcoming the physical barrier formed by the Genoa-Rome road line
  • Consolidation of the Retro Porto function as a dry port
  • Increased efficiency and speed of handling freight
  • Decongestion and rational use of quays

4. Railway Hub

With the expansion of the railway terminal, ITAV will be the railway hub for freight consolidation, processing and storage.

Project Description
With RFI’s contribution, the expansion of the railway terminal within ITAV is planned, consequently to the construction of the railway bypass.
Expected Benefits
With RFI’s contribution, the expansion of the railway terminal within ITAV is planned, consequently to the construction of the railway quayside overpass.

5. Railway Overpass

Direct rail link between Porto-Interporto-Florence TEN-T network under the project currently being developed by RFI.

Project Description

A direct railway connection between the Port-Interporto-Florence and the TEN-T network is planned, consisting of the railway line connecting the Interporto to the Pisa-Collesalvetti-Vada axis and the by-pass of the Pisa node in the direction of Florence.

Expected Benefits
  • Connection between the Port of Livorno and the Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor
  • Separation of rail freight and passenger streams
  • Strengthening of connections between the Ports of Livorno and Piombino and the Scandinavian Mediterranean Corridor axis docks

Multimodality as the Focal Point of the New European Commission Strategy

Launched by the European Commission on 9th December 2020, the new strategy is a very ambitious project that aims for a 90% reduction in emissions from the transport sector by 2050.

To this end, the concept of intermodality has been placed at the centre, as a key concept both from the point of view of sustainability in rendering freight transport more environmentally friendly, such as by doubling rail freight traffic by 2050, as well as from an innovation perspective, through connected and automated multimodal mobility.

More about
Connectivity and Multimodality

The Trailers Onto Rail (TOR) Project

To fully achieve intermodality objectives, the Trailers Onto Rail (TOR) project is aimed at implementing the rail routing service for road semi-trailers in transit to and from the Port of Livorno. Whilst waiting for RFI to complete works to adapt the Prato-Bologna Apennine tunnels, TOR will use the night tracks of the High Speed Railway.

This is the last component needed to achieve full intermodal connectivity, adding road transport to sea and rail.

A kind of coming full circle is achieved that overall brings important benefits:

For the Port of Livorno

In terms of decongesting port docks and consolidating leadership in RO-RO traffic.

For the Interporto

In terms of the take-off of intermodality and Gate port’s role as a port of reference for routing semi-trailers.

For the environment

In terms of lower CO₂ emissions due to the reduction in the number of trucks and road travel times.

For intermodal connectivity

Contributing to the development of a sustainable transport and logistics system, consistent with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport’s strategy of “Cura dell’Acqua e Cura del Ferro” focused on water and rail.

In addition to ITAV, project partners are Ram S.p.A., RFI (Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, the Italian railway network), the Port System Authority of the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea, the Tuscany Region, Veneto Region, Consorzio Zai Interporto Quadrante Europa and Interporto di Padova S.p.A.