The report on the survey on Italy's international merchandise transport for 2023 is now available. The survey, conducted by the Bank of Italy since 1998, contributes to the compilation of the "services" item of the balance of payments and collects data on freight rates broken down by mode of transport and type of load; moreover, carriers' market shares by nationality of residence are estimated.
The results of the survey, based on interviews with 170 transport operators, report a significant drop in freight rates in almost all sectors, reflecting the weakness of demand in a context of abundant cargo supply, especially in the maritime sector; a smaller contribution came from the decline in fuel prices. The deficit in Italy's merchandise transport balance significantly decreased in 2023, after the all-time peak reached the previous year, thanks to the decline in freight rates and, to a lesser extent, to the increase in the market shares of Italian carriers in the maritime sector.
