Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE

F2i Launches FHP Group, Italy’s Leading Integrated Maritime and Rail Logistics Operator in the Dry Bulk and Break Bulk Sector

FHP Holding Portuale, Italy's leading bulk cargo operator, integrates Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana, Italy's leading private national rail freight operator

 

Milan, 26 May 2025 – F2i SGR, Italy’s leading independent infrastructure fund manager, announces the establishment of the country’s first integrated maritime and rail logistics operator in the dry bulk and break bulk cargo sector. The new entity is the result of the strategic integration of FHP Holding Portuale (FHP) and Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana (CFI). Both companies are part of F2i’s infrastructure funds portfolio.

The corporate reorganization will involve the acquisition of CFI by FHP, which will assume the role of operational holding company overseeing port terminal operations, intermodal hubs, and rail freight services.

FHP Group (new name of F2i Holding Portuale), headquartered in Milan, manages 8 port concessions (Carrara, Livorno, Monfalcone, Marghera, and Chioggia), 4 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 kilometers across Italy and key European countries including France, Austria, and Poland.

This integration marks a significant step forward in optimizing logistics operations — particularly the ship-to-rail cargo cycle — offering enhanced efficiency and service quality to industrial clients. A core pillar of FHP Group’s strategy will be the promotion of rail freight transport, a more sustainable and efficient alternative to road haulage over medium and long distances.

FHP Group is led by Chairman Umberto Masucci and Chief Executive Officer Paolo Cornetto. Giacomo Di Patrizi, founder and long-time 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 rail freight — 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 realized 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 modernization of a key pillar of Italy’s economic infrastructure”.