In brief: Independent truckers protesting high fuel prices blocked the Bausan gate at the Port of Naples on October 19, 2026, as a protest movement that began the previous week spread across southern Italy, disrupting cargo and produce deliveries.
Protesters also slowed traffic on the A1 highway and blocked roads near Catania, Scalea, Cerignola, Mercogliano, Sora, Cassino and Fabrica di Roma, triggering fresh-produce shortages in several towns. Pasquale Russo of the road-haulage association Conftrasporto warned the movement could escalate into a national strike, while the consumer group Codacons cautioned that prolonged blockades risk shortages and price gouging. Italy’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has scheduled a meeting with haulage representatives for October 27 in Rome to discuss the truckers’ demands.
For importers and exporters moving goods through southern Italy, the blockades mean unpredictable delays at Naples and on connecting highways. Shippers should build in buffer time and check gate status before routing time-sensitive or perishable cargo through the port in the coming days.
Source: ANSA, October 19, 2026.