Crisi Hormuz, traffico merci in calo sui porti di Genova e Ravenna

The geopolitical crisis in the Middle East and the intensifying conflict in Ukraine have caused a decline in trade volumes at major Italian ports, particularly Genoa and Ravenna, in recent months. The Lanterna port in Genoa, for example, experienced an 8% decline in imports and exports with the Middle East in the first six months of the year, with a further decrease in container shipments (-9%) and petroleum products (-7%).

Meanwhile, Ravenna saw a total movement decline of over 470,000 tonnes (-21.2%) in August 2025 compared to the same month in 2025. These developments have raised concerns among the presidents of the major Italian ports, who warn that a destabilization of the Middle East crisis could lead to a permanent shift in shipping routes from the Middle East to Europe, marginalizing the Mediterranean.

The overall container traffic at the major tricolor ports in the first half of 2026 saw a slight decline (-2%) compared to the same period in 2025, with Genoa, Savona, and Trieste experiencing decreases of 2.3%, 4%, and 4%, respectively. Conversely, La Spezia, Venice, and Ancona saw increases of 3.5%, 4.6%, and 3%, respectively.

Ravenna, in contrast, remained stable between January and July 2025, while Napoli and Salerno reached a 4.3% increase in the same period. Tonnage-wise in the first six months of the year, Genoa and Savona saw a -1.9% decline (mineral oils at -1.5% and other liquified liquids at -4%), which, when extended through July, turned into a +0.4% increase (mineral oils at +0.6% and other liquified liquids at -1.7%).

La Spezia and Marina di Carrara saw a +5.8% increase in total tonnes and -34.7% in liquified liquids during the same period. Meanwhile, Napoli and Salerno saw a +1.1% increase in tonnes and -1.2% in liquified liquids. In the Adriatic, Ravenna saw a 6% increase in total movement for the first seven months, with petroleum products up 18.1% and chemicals down 9.8%.

However, August saw a 21.2% decline, drastically reducing the growth rate of the first eight months to a +2.5%. Trieste and Monfalcone saw a +0.67% overall increase in goods and +5% in liquified liquids in the first six months, while Venice saw a +0.2% increase in tonnage with liquified liquids down 11%. The global geopolitical situation, particularly the Middle East, affects port traffic, with the decreasing trend in Middle Eastern trade being the primary focus.

The true risk is the marginalization of the Mediterranean, which could see the loss of competitiveness to Northern European ports if Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, and Suez are not stabilized quickly.