Key sections of Adriatic line in Italy to remain closed until 30 September

Heavy rainfalls and floods throughout Europe did not spare Italy, where key sections of the Adriatic line, which runs along the country’s east coast, will be closed until 30 September. One of the main consequences for rail freight is that the port of Ravenna will remain inaccessible for at least another week.

The situation is especially negative in the region of Emilia-Romagna, where the port of Ravenna is located. The port remains isolated from both north and south, as traffic is halted along both the Ravenna-Ferrara and the Ravenna-Faenza sections.

Lugo among the most affected

One of the companies most affected by the recent weather conditions is Lugo Terminal, which manages an important intermodal facility in Lugo, not too far from Ravenna. Yesterday, the company managed to access its terminal, but the damage left by the heavy rains still requires cleanup operations that might take days to carry out.

This wave of extreme weather in Italy might have a negative impact on long-distance services running along the Adriatic axis as well. Many passenger services connecting the Italian north and south were cancelled, and the situation is likely similar for freight services, despite the lack of information available.

The impact of climate change

Because of climate change, dealing with such disruptive weather events might, unfortunately, become a new normality for Italy, especially the Emilia-Romagna area. Already in May last year, catastrophic floods in the area caused 14 victims and left thousands stranded, also impacting the rail freight sector.

This is not only an Italian problem as the situation is just as bad in many other European countries. Both last and this summer, significant issues posed by floods and heavy rains caused and are causing issues all over the Old Continent. Currently, for example, Central and Eastern Europe are facing similar issues, with traffic stoppages on various important railways.