Sino-Italian shipping cooperation boosted as Cosco docks as La Spezia

COSCO has launched a new West Africa Service in the Port of La Spezia, 70 miles south east of Genoa, Italy's second biggest port for origin and final destination of goods which boasts 1.3 million TEU annually.

The start of the new service marks the continuation of Sino-Italian shipping collaboration between La Spezia Container Terminal (LSCT) and Cosco, reports China Daily.

Three Cosco ships stopped in the La Spezia Container Terminal in three consecutive days, moving over 4,000 TEU. On the second day, the "Cosco Day 2012," was held in La Spezia to celebrate the new co-operation. Local authorities participated in the event, including the president of the Port Authority of La Spezia, Lorenzo Forcieri.

"We have been stopping over at La Spezia since 2009," said Cosco's Italy chief executive Xu Hongji. "From then on, relations between us and La Spezia container terminal have become increasingly tight and guided by the synergistic collaboration and mutual respect."

The new West Africa Service will add to a series of weekly services offered by the container shipping line from La Spezia to North America, the Far East, Australia, West Africa, Israel, Greece, Turkey and the Black Sea, said Cosco's Italy general manager Marco Donati.

"Nowadays, shipowners need more secure ports to develop their activities, and the increasing collaboration between Italy and China marks a new step for the development of this market," he told Xinhua.

"The advantages offered by LSCT are essentially two: First, the port offers several docking possibilities and quick handling, and second, it provides a seamless integration between all links of the logistic chain," Mr Donati said.

LSCT has recently announced it will invest EUR200 million (US$246 million) in infrastructure, equipment and large vehicles in the Port of La Spezia over the next few years with the aim to further increase competitiveness of the Italian facility.