Hannibal Launches Six Melzo-Rotterdam Europoort Trains

MELZO, ITALY – Hannibal, the multimodal operator of Contship Group, activated a new intermodal rail connection between its Rail Hub Milano (RHM) terminal in Melzo and the Rotterdam Europoort terminal on July 8, 2025. The open-access shuttle runs six trains per week carrying up to 38 loading units per train. Transit time across the corridor is approximately 24 hours, with SBB providing train traction under a partnership agreement.

What Is the Full Scope of This Project?

The Melzo–Rotterdam Europoort connection is an open rail shuttle service designed for semi-trailers, containers, and swap bodies, accommodating both lo-lo (lift-on/lift-off) and ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) loading methods. Departures from Melzo operate Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while return departures from Rotterdam Europoort run Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. This launch brings the total number of weekly Hannibal rail services between Melzo and Dutch destinations to 36, adding to existing connections at Moerdijk, RSC, and Botlek terminals within the Rotterdam port area. No total investment figure for this specific service was disclosed by Contship.

Key Project Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Projects?

Hannibal’s new Europoort service expands its Rotterdam-area terminal coverage to four facilities—Moerdijk, RSC, Botlek, and now Europoort—making it one of the densest intermodal networks operated by a single private operator between Italy and the Netherlands. The 20% increase in weekly frequency, from 30 to 36 trains, places Contship’s Melzo–Netherlands corridor among the highest-frequency cross-border intermodal rail links in Southern Europe. By comparison, the broader Italy rail freight market is projected to grow through 2025, driven by infrastructure investment and a modal shift toward rail as shippers pursue lower-carbon supply chains (Source: IndexBox, Italy Rail Freight Market Outlook, 2025). Rotterdam Europoort’s role as a consolidation hub for short-sea and deep-sea shipping aligns with the Port of Rotterdam’s stated decarbonization targets, positioning this rail connection within a broader EU green corridor development strategy.

Editor’s Analysis

Contship’s systematic coverage of all major Rotterdam port terminals through Hannibal signals a strategic intent to capture multimodal traffic that might otherwise route through competing North Sea ports. The dual lo-lo and ro-ro capability on a single shuttle differentiates this service from single-mode competitors, allowing shippers to mix crane-handled containers with rollable trailers on the same train—an operational advantage for forwarders managing diverse cargo portfolios. The 24-hour transit time between Melzo and Europoort makes rail competitive with road freight on this corridor while offering sustainability credentials that align with tightening EU transport emissions regulations. With 36 weekly departures, Hannibal is now offering near-daily departure frequency to the Netherlands, a threshold that typically triggers modal shift decisions among large shippers (Source: EU Combined Transport Directive impact assessments, 2023–2024 reporting period).

FAQ

Q: What is the transit time for the Melzo–Rotterdam Europoort rail connection?
A: The scheduled transit time is approximately 24 hours. Departures from Italy are on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; returns from Rotterdam depart Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.

Q: What types of cargo units can this service handle?
A: The service accommodates semi-trailers, containers, and swap bodies. It supports both lo-lo (lift-on/lift-off via crane) and ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) loading methods, enabling mixed cargo flows on a single train with capacity for 38 loading units.

Q: How does this expansion affect Hannibal’s total weekly services to the Netherlands?
A: With the Europoort addition, Hannibal now operates 36 weekly rail services between Melzo and the Netherlands, up from 30 previously. The operator already serves three other Rotterdam-area terminals: Moerdijk, RSC, and Botlek.

Q: Who provides locomotive traction for this service?
A: SBB, the Swiss national railway company, provides train traction under a partnership agreement with Hannibal for the Melzo–Rotterdam Europoort corridor, which transits Switzerland en route between Italy and the Netherlands.