IN Brief:
- Circle Group has won two contracts worth about €250,000 with Italian intermodal operators.
- The projects will strengthen Extended Port Community Systems and digital rail logistics tools.
- Upgrades include Milos Rail Ecosystem modules and OCR-based wagon and container code capture.
Circle Group has secured two contracts worth approximately €250,000 with Italian intermodal operators to advance digitalisation across port and rail logistics networks.
The agreements cover development and management activity under a co-funded project focused on improving Extended Port Community Systems and the digital tools used in intermodal rail operations. The projects are designed to strengthen interoperability between ports, freight forwarders, rail operators, customs authorities, and logistics providers through real-time data exchange.
A central part of the work is the further development of Circle’s Milos Rail Ecosystem, including upgrades to the Rail Dashboard, Rail Connector, and Rail Interoperability modules. The enhancements are intended to improve usability, operational efficiency, and the management of documentation linked to cargo arrivals and departures.
The contracts also include scalable digital components and a railway OCR data connector able to automatically read wagon and container codes. That capability will allow rail transit information to be captured and shared in real time through data collected at rail gates.
Luca Abatello, President and CEO of Circle Group, said: “These new contracts confirm Circle Group’s role as a leading technology partner for the digitalisation of port and intermodal hubs.
“The evolution of Extended Port Community Systems and the integration of advanced tools for managing rail flows are key drivers for increasing efficiency, interoperability, and service quality in complex logistics systems. We are proud to contribute to these projects with leading Italian intermodal partners as part of the broader path of innovation and modernisation supported by our ‘Connect 4 Agile Growth’ business plan.”
The contracts are modest in value, but the operating problem they address is large. Ports and inland terminals depend on multiple actors moving the same cargo through different systems, documents, and handover points. When port, rail, customs, forwarder, and terminal data do not align, delays build at exactly the places where infrastructure is already constrained.
Port Community Systems have become a key part of that coordination layer. Their value is strongest when they extend beyond the marine terminal and connect inland legs, customs processes, rail departure and arrival data, and forwarder instructions. A container leaving a port by rail is a sequence of operational permissions, status updates, gate events, and documentation checks, rather than a single transport movement.
OCR at rail gates is a practical example of digitalisation with direct operating value. Automated reading of wagon and container codes reduces manual capture, supports faster reconciliation, and improves confidence in the data being shared. When that information can be made available in real time, operators can manage exceptions earlier rather than discovering mismatches after cargo has moved or missed a connection.
The alignment of freight infrastructure and digital systems is also visible in air cargo, where KLM’s cargo relocation at Schiphol is intended to support more efficient handling across a redesigned estate. Whether freight moves through an airport, seaport, or rail terminal, the limiting factor is increasingly the quality of coordination between physical assets and data systems.
European supply chains are also under pressure to shift more freight onto rail and lower-emission transport modes. That policy direction is not enough on its own. Rail freight needs reliable handovers, predictable terminal processes, accurate documentation, and digital interoperability if it is to compete with the flexibility of road transport. Without those foundations, intermodal networks can gain infrastructure capacity and still lose cargo through administrative friction.
Italy’s ports and inland logistics corridors are important to wider Mediterranean and European trade flows, particularly where containerised cargo moves between maritime gateways and northern or central European markets. Better port-rail integration can improve capacity utilisation, reduce dwell time, and support more reliable inland distribution.
Adoption across stakeholders will decide the strength of the project. Digital tools deliver value when operators, authorities, and logistics providers use them consistently. If the upgraded systems improve real-time visibility and reduce manual intervention at rail gates, the contracts could provide a replicable model for port-rail coordination beyond the initial Italian operators.
