Tunisia and Egypt look to Italy’s example for improving grain handling and storage

A high-level delegation of Tunisian and Egyptian officials responsible for grain storage and procurement visited Italy’s two main grain importing ports earlier this year for insights on upgrading grain handling and storage, including investments in technology, infrastructure and logistics.

Representatives from the Egyptian Holding Company for Silos and Storage (EHCSS), Tunisia’s Office des Céréales (ODC) and the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture visited the Adriatic Sea ports of Ravenna and Bari, as well as a modern inland grain storage site.

Tunisia and Egypt both rely heavily on imported wheat and barley, particularly from Ukraine and Russia – making them vulnerable to market shocks. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized the visit as part of a broader food security initiative in import-dependent Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries.

Lessons from two Italian ports

The northern port of Ravenna is the country’s leading port for grain trade, especially with the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea markets. It handles about 2 million tonnes of imported cereals annually, mainly wheat and maize.

In Ravenna, the Italian company Docks Cereali is the Mediterranean's largest terminal for the storage and handling of dry bulk goods. The grain docks, which use both metal and concrete silos, as well as horizontal multi-use warehouses, can store 380 000 tonnes of grain and unload 500 tonnes per hour.  

The delegates were impressed by the high level of unloading efficiency, which reduces ships’ waiting times. Thanks to railway connections, significant grain volumes can be quickly shipped inland, including directly to some of the world’s larger pasta producers.

Docks Cereali plans to invest in increasing its unloading capacity and doubling the railway tracks for faster, more efficient transport. The Port System Authority in Ravenna is also investing in deepening the seabed to accommodate larger ships, as well as digitalizing port logistics and improving energy efficiency.

The southern port of Bari, though smaller than the port of Ravenna – and despite its limited storage capacity and shallower seabed – still handles nearly the same volumes of cereals as Ravenna.

A roundtable with officials from Bari’s Port System Authority, Maritime Health and Customs and port operators shed light on the port’s infrastructure and operating procedures, including logistics, phytosanitary controls and food safety.

Port terminals operate on tight margins with critical turnover. The key to Bari’s success is effective organization of truck operators and the outsourcing of services such as ship unloading, silo maintenance and fumigation. The port is also investing in renewable energy to reduce operating costs and environmental impacts. 

Visiting port silos in Ravenna and Bari. © FAO/Stefania Croce

Innovations and investments

The delegates visited Agri Viesti, a family-owned inland grain trading company equipped with advanced silos that can store over 200 000 tonnes of grain and state-of-the-art technology.

While digitalization can increase speed and efficiency, there is a growing need to entrust sensitive grain storage data to equipment suppliers for predictive maintenance.

Among the visit’s takeaways for Mohamed Abdel Galil, Technical Director of EHCSS, were the importance of cooperation between the public and private sectors to improve the efficiency of grain handling operations, the role of sustainable energy in reducing costs, and the benefits of effective government inspection services.

“I was impressed by the strict inspection and quality control mechanisms in place,” he said. “Also, Italy is upgrading older infrastructure, rather than demolishing it, which reflects effective planning for sustainability.”

Soufiane Koubaa, Director of Development and Quality at Tunisia’s ODC, noted the importance of optimizing storage infrastructure, the government’s risk-based approach to sanitary and phytosanitary controls, and the commitment to digital data protection.

“This visit will have a significant impact on the choice of technologies new grain storage silo projects in Tunisia will adopt, as well as projects to rehabilitate and upgrade older silos, taking into account efficiency, investment costs and operating costs,” he said.

Both delegates agreed that this visit and last year’s knowledge exchange in Egypt facilitated by FAO and EBRD were invaluable for sharing experiences and best practices and for strengthening regional cooperation on grain handling and storage.