Ukrainian 'blockade runner' chooses Cagliari
The first containership from Ukraine found its first Western port in Cagliari, Sardinia, recently. About 48 hours of berth operations were required to unload 2,100 containers of the first containership that had overcome the blockade of the port of Odessa and which, after a stopover in Istanbul, chose Cagliari as a safe port to unload the cargo.
The containership 'Joseph Schulte', flying the flag of Hong Kong, had been blocked in the port of Odessa since February 2022. It was the first unit to use the temporary corridor for the delivery of civilian goods. After complex customs formalities, unloading operations took from 4-6 September. All 1,526 full and 588 empty containers were checked in the container terminal Mito (Mediterranean Intermodal Terminal Operator) and will be distributed in the coming weeks.
The operation also showcased Cagliari's abilities as a Mediterranean logistics hub. “We were pre-advised around the middle of August of this opportunity for the international container terminal Mito in which the Grendi Group has been investing for some time," said Antonio Musso, CEO of Mito and Grendi Trasporti Marittimi.
He mentioned current extension measures in the terminal. "A logistics hub has been complemented by the recent doubling of the warehouse facilities (now 20,000 sqm), 620 m of linear quayside that allow two large ships to be worked simultaneously. This port call has also highlighted the potential role of Cagliari as a major hub for international carriers in Mediterranean Sea.” Mito handled 57,670 teu in 2022 (+ 92% vs 2021), with a total turnover of EUR 3.2 million. (cd)