This is the English translation of a podcast interview conducted in Italian by radio VENETO24 on Friday June 19, 2026
Riccardo Sandre: The logistics of the future, brought to you by Interporto Padova and Green Logistics Expo. Good morning everyone, I am Riccardo Sandre, back with you for a new episode of The Logistics of the Future. Today, we will discuss rail freight transport again, analyzing the opportunities and challenges from the perspective of railway and intermodal operators. These are companies whose fundamental asset is the railway wagon, an element often overlooked but indispensable in the freight transport chain. Today, thanks to the liberalization of rail freight and an increasingly integrated European railway space, companies that build, maintain, and manage fleets of modern and specialized freight wagons are key to rail cargo efficiency. In Italy, dozens of these companies—and over 250 across Europe—account for more than 50% of the tonne-kilometers of rail freight transport across the continent, operating in an extremely complex technical and regulatory environment. Whereas the rail wagon was once little more than a box to be loaded, today it is a specialized vehicle tailored to specific types of goods, offering safety, efficiency, and reliability. We are discussing this with Mauro Pacella, President of Assofer, the association that has represented all companies in this supply chain in Italy for over 25 years. Good morning, President Pacella, how are you?
Mauro Pacella: Good morning. Everything is fine, although, as we will discuss, there are difficulties that must be addressed.
Riccardo Sandre: I can believe that. Thank you for being with us. As a deep expert in the sector and former Secretary General of Assofer for over 20 years, can you guide us through this complex world and explain who the companies you represent are?
Mauro Pacella: Of course. First, I thank you for the opportunity to enter this world, which is undoubtedly complex but also fascinating for those passionate about railways. There is a fundamental premise: rail transport, specifically freight transport, is inherently complex. When we see a train—a locomotive with wagons running along the network—we don’t often imagine the organization and diversity of actors behind it. To run a freight train, you first need the cargo, provided by logistics operators or industry. Then you need a railway undertaking that organizes the train with a locomotive. We, as wagon holders, must ensure maintenance for safety, which is a fundamental requirement. Then there are the terminals (ports, interports, or industries) where the train starts and ends, and finally, the infrastructure manager who oversees the network, technical compatibility, and safety. It is indeed a very complex world. Assofer represents the owners, managers, and maintainers of freight wagons. In Europe, we represent more than 250,000 wagons, totaling roughly 12 billion euros in investments, with about 400 million euros spent annually on fleet renewal. We represent the workshops that maintain these assets and the logistics operators who use them. Our specialization dates back to the early days of post-WWII rail freight, as we have always built and managed specialized wagons for cars, steel, dangerous goods, and food products. We have always been quite innovative, and now even more so.
Riccardo Sandre: Rail freight is going through a difficult time in Italy and across Europe, specifically in Germany and with safety regulations in Switzerland. What is your perspective on this?
Mauro Pacella: These are two different issues, but both significantly impact freight traffic and wagon usage. Infrastructure renewal is a major theme across Europe because lines must adapt to new markets and technologies after years of obsolescence. This cannot be done by closing the entire system; there must be a balance. Italy, through RFI, has made significant efforts in this regard. Germany has a more massive plan, making it harder to optimize resources and maintain compatibility with ongoing traffic. The Switzerland issue, however, is very problematic. There is a European regulatory framework for interoperability that Switzerland adheres to, even without being in the EU. We hope that negotiations between EU officials and Switzerland will mitigate national measures that could kill rail traffic. We have calibrated ourselves in Europe based on this interoperability, and having separate national rules is unacceptable. If there are safety concerns, they should be discussed in appropriate bodies like the ERA (European Union Agency for Railways), where Switzerland is present. We must find a solution because the system is a single, interoperable European network; we cannot do without it.
Riccardo Sandre: We have very little time left, but I have two more questions. What are the objectives and strategies of Assofer to help relaunch rail transport in Italy?
Mauro Pacella: Certainly, one is collaborating with colleagues to manage critical situations, which is essential for a relaunch. Then there is the issue of the internal market. I always cite the Ferrobonus as a fundamental tool to facilitate intermodality and the shift of goods from road to rail. This “discovery” of the Ferrobonus needs to become a structural system rather than something that is periodically re-debated regarding capacity and funding. The rail system needs support for this modal shift, and that support must come from the government. This doesn’t mean just asking for grants; even when the Italian or European governments invest significant amounts in incentives, these are always lower than the external costs generated by other transport modes. Therefore, it is a net gain for the community and the system. While this monetization isn’t seen immediately, it pays off over time. There needs to be a firm stance at both the governmental and European levels that this is the only path forward, and it must be pursued structurally. We are pushing very hard on this.
Riccardo Sandre: My thanks to Mauro Pacella, President of Assofer. The episode ends here. Thanks from Riccardo Sandre and the entire staff of The Logistics of the Future. Until next time.
Click here to listen to this podcast in its original format
