Italy's Hannibal Launches Six Weekly Trains Between Melzo and Rotterdam Botlek

Italy's Hannibal, the multimodal operator owned by Contship Group, launched a new intermodal rail service between Melzo and Rotterdam Botlek on 8 July 2026. The shuttle operates six trains per week with capacity for up to 38 loading units per train.

The service lifts Hannibal's Melzo–Netherlands network to 36 weekly rail services. Hannibal serves four terminals in Rotterdam, and the new Botlek link completes parent company Contship Group's coverage of the port complex. Transit time between Melzo and Botlek runs around 24 hours.

Trains depart Melzo on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with return departures from Botlek on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The service operates from Melzo's Rail Hub Milano terminal. Hannibal describes the new link as an open rail shuttle, meaning slots are available to third-party cargo.

The Melzo–Rotterdam route provides connections to northern Italy and onward links to the United Kingdom and Scandinavia through Rotterdam's multimodal network. The service adds capacity on a corridor already served by Hannibal's existing Netherlands operations, which include links to other Dutch terminals.