Italian infrastructure fund manager F2i SGR has established an integrated maritime and rail logistics operator for the dry bulk and breakbulk sector, FHP Group, following the merger of FHP F2i Holding Portuale and Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana (CFI).
Both companies are part of F2i SGR’s portfolio. FHP has extensive experience in terminal operations, while CFI has provided railfreight solutions since 2007.
As part of the corporate reorganisation, FHP will acquire CFI, including its subsidiary Lotras, and will become the operational holding company overseeing port terminal operations, intermodal hubs and rail freight services.
Headquartered in Milan, the company manages eight port concessions (Carrara, Livorno, Monfalcone, Marghera, and Chioggia), four intermodal terminals (Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Incoronata, Piedimonte San Germano, and Villa Selva) and a fleet of 40 locomotives and 1,240 freight wagons.
In 2025, the group expects to handle 10 million tons of cargo at its port facilities. Rail activity will exceed 6 million rail km across Italy and key European countries including France, Austria, and Poland.
It is led by chairman Umberto Masucci and ceo Paolo Cornetto. Giacomo Di Patrizi, founder and leader of CFI since 2007, has been appointed vice chairman of FHP Group.
“The dry bulk logistics sector holds significant strategic value for Italian industry – from steel and cellulose to grain and project cargo,” said Renato Ravanelli, ceo of F2i SGR. “Historically, this segment in Italy has suffered from fragmented operations and a lack of integrated management. Since 2019, F2i has pursued a long-term vision in the port sector and, from 2020, in railfreight – with the clear strategic goal of overcoming these inefficiencies. Our focus has been on creating value through consolidation and integration in sectors that demand scale.
“With the creation of FHP Group, this strategy is now being realised in the logistics domain. The new company will generate value for our investors and deliver integrated, high-quality services to national and international industrial clients – contributing to the modernisation of a key pillar of Italy’s economic infrastructure,” Ravanelli added.
A core pillar of FHP Group’s strategy will be the promotion of railfreight as a more sustainable and efficient alternative to road haulage over medium and long distances.
