Elevated demand for rail cargo on the only viable China-Europe rail route continues to overwhelm the existing infrastructure, with congestion building at Central Asian intermodal points.
The Geneva-based carrier may soon be the sole owner of Gioia Tauro's container terminal, and its only customer, which could make it difficult to arrest declining volume at the transshipment hub.
Increasing use of the available capacity in both directions and the impact of service shifts in 2018 could mean shippers find it more difficult to find carrier space for containers this year.
There are just 100 days to go until the UK exits the European Union, with British businesses "watching in horror" as the country lurches towards the worst case scenario — leaving the EU with no deal.