Court of Trieste Port Suspends DFDS's Transfer of Two Ro-Ro Vessel Calls

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 6, the Administrative Court of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region of Italy suspended Order No. 24/2026 issued by the Trieste Port Authority, which required the Danish shipping company DFDS to adjust its twice-weekly ro-ro vessel berthing arrangements. The original measure required DFDS to transfer two weekly ro-ro operations calling at the HHLA PLT logistics platform on Tuesdays and Sundays to the Samer terminal at Riva Traiana, on a 12-week trial basis. The court's ruling is a provisional judicial suspension; whether the measure can be reinstated will be further addressed at a panel review scheduled for December 2.

This terminal adjustment measure was issued by the Eastern Adriatic Sea Port System Authority on October 28, 2026, and was originally scheduled to take effect on November 1. The Authority's main reason for the adjustment was the continued increase in road traffic pressure around the PLT terminal, where the concentrated movement of heavy vehicles affects road access in the port area and the organization of ro-ro operations. The plan was therefore to reduce the vehicle collection and distribution pressure on a single terminal by reallocating vessel berthing positions.

Operational data submitted by the Port Authority show that the average weekly cargo units at the PLT terminal increased from approximately 1,986 in 2024 to 3,649 during the period from July 18 to October 18, 2026, an increase of about 84%, reaching 98% of the previous 60-day rolling statistical high. By comparison, the average weekly cargo units at the Samer terminal decreased from 4,176 to 2,654 over the same period, a reduction of about 36%, equivalent to approximately 54% of its historical high.

DFDS's berthing distribution at the two terminals has also changed. Its average weekly calls at the PLT terminal increased from 1.7 to 2.3, an increase of about 35%; its average weekly calls at the Samer terminal decreased from 7.5 to 6.6, a reduction of about 12.5%. On this basis, the Port Authority decided to transfer DFDS's two calls originally scheduled for Tuesdays and Sundays to the Samer terminal.

According to the Authority's estimates, the adjustment would reallocate approximately 410 cargo units per week, including semi-trailers and containers, of which about 210 would be loaded cargo. After the adjustment, the average weekly cargo units at the PLT terminal are expected to fall to 3,239, while those at the Samer terminal would rise to 3,064. The Authority had originally planned to continuously monitor road vehicle traffic, terminal operations and rail transport through a technical committee, and to adjust the implementation plan based on the trial results.

DFDS subsequently filed an urgent suspension application with the Administrative Court. In its review, the court found that the Port Authority had not adequately notified DFDS before issuing the relevant order to initiate administrative proceedings, preventing the company from submitting its views in advance. The court also questioned whether the Port Authority could implement such a significant adjustment to terminal operations through a unilateral administrative order by its head.

The judicial ruling also addressed competition issues in the port operations market. The court held that the mandatory adjustment could give certain operators a business advantage while causing DFDS operational disadvantages lacking sufficient justification. Since the relevant shipping routes and transport services had already been arranged in advance and sold to customers, changing the berthing terminal could also affect other companies in the transport chain and existing commercial services.