What Priano Marchelli SPA does

Priano Marchelli SPA is an international freight forwarder founded in 1934 and headquartered in Genoa, Italy. The company specializes in multi-modal logistics spanning maritime, air, road, rail, and intermodal transport, with a foundational focus on the marine industry — shipbuilding logistics, dry dock operations, and cruise ship refurbishment — that has been its core business since inception. The service portfolio includes core transport modalities, customs brokerage as an Official IATA Agent, warehousing (10,000 m² of surface area globally), and specialized services covering project cargo, dangerous goods (ADR), e-commerce logistics, pharma cold-chain, exhibition logistics, and green economy logistics.

Following its March 2024 acquisition by AIT Worldwide Logistics, Priano Marchelli operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within a global network of 150+ offices, retaining its Italian operations and marine domain expertise while gaining international distribution reach. The company's underlying technology platform combines Business Intelligence aggregation across transport modes for end-to-end supply chain visibility, Blockchain-based electronic Bill of Lading documentation, IoT-enabled container tracking, and AI applications in customs processing and maritime terminal optimization. Under the chairmanship of Claudio Giachero, the company sells primarily through direct enterprise field sales relationships, serving shipbuilders (Fincantieri), cruise operators (Carnival Corporation, Seabourn), and industrial B2B shippers.

The business model is transaction-based: revenue is generated through freight forwarding service fees (transaction/take rate), professional services for customs brokerage and marine industry logistics, and managed warehousing services. Pricing is quote-based, not publicly disclosed, and contracts tend to be multi-year project-based for cruise newbuilds and refurbishments, with a single record order of €36 million from Carnival Cruise Line in 2024 indicating significant project-level deal sizes within the marine vertical.

Name

Priano Marchelli SPA

Legal name

Priano Marchelli S.p.A.

Website

https://prianomarchelli.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Priano Marchelli SPA is a Genoa-based international freight forwarder founded in 1934, specializing in marine and cruise industry logistics (shipbuilding, dry dock, refurbishment) and multi-modal transport. It operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of AIT Worldwide Logistics, serving shipbuilders, cruise lines, and industrial B2B clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Freight Forwarding and Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851), General Warehousing and Storage (493110)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Project Cargo & Heavy-Lift Transload (TLALAFAL), Project Cargo Packing, Crating & Securing (Lashing/Dunnage) (TLAIAKAJ), Chemicals & Hazmat Transload (Regulated Goods) (TLALAFAH), Customs Brokerage, Trade Compliance & Import/Export for Life Sciences (HLAGAMAI)

Keywords

• International freight forwarding
• Marine industry logistics
• Customs brokerage services
• Project cargo handling
• Multimodal transport solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Genova (Bolzaneto)

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Freight Forwarding Services: Core revenue from international freight forwarding services across maritime, air, road, and rail transport modalities. Revenue is generated through service fees for arranging and managing shipments, including specialized services for project cargo, dangerous goods, and oversized loads.
2. Customs Brokerage: Customs clearance and brokerage services as an official IATA agent. Includes customs declaration, compliance consulting, and regulatory advisory for EU regulations including CBAM, EUDR, ICS2, ETS, and cash transport regulations.
3. Specialized Marine Industry Logistics: Specialized logistics services for the marine and cruise industry including shipbuilding logistics, dry dock operations, and refurbishment project management. Core business vertical with deep industry expertise since 1934.
4. Warehousing and Storage: Warehouse and storage services with global warehouses spanning 10,000 m2 of surface area, providing inventory management and distribution services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Priano Marchelli SPA is an international freight forwarder offering integrated logistics solutions across maritime, air, ground, rail, and intermodal transport, complemented by warehousing and customs brokerage. The company's foundational specialization is marine industry logistics for shipbuilding, dry dock, and cruise refurbishment, supplemented by specialized services for project cargo, dangerous goods (ADR), e-commerce, exhibitions, green economy, and pharma/medical devices. It serves enterprise B2B clients worldwide through direct sales, a global agent network, and integration with the AIT Worldwide Logistics parent network of 150+ offices.

Product overview

Priano Marchelli SPA is an International Freight Forwarder operating as part of the AIT Worldwide Logistics group. Its service portfolio is organized as a single integrated platform of logistics services anchored by core transport modes (Maritime, Ground/Air, Rail, and Intermodal Transport) supplemented by Warehousing and Customs Services. Around these core services, Priano Marchelli offers a suite of specialized services including Project Cargo, Dangerous Goods (ADR), IT Services, e-Commerce Logistics, Exhibition & Events Logistics, Green Economy Logistics, and Pharma & Medical Devices logistics. The company's foundational specialization is in the Marine Industry (shipbuilding logistics, dry dock, and cruise refurbishment), which has been its core business since 1934. The product portfolio functions as a unified integrated logistics offering rather than discrete standalone software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Freight Forwarding
• Trasporto Marittimo (Maritime Transport) Global maritime shipping services enabling safe and timely shipments worldwide, with specialization in the marine and cruise industry.
• Trasporto Terrestre (Ground Transport) Reliable overland delivery services via road, with guaranteed punctuality for domestic and international shipments.
• Trasporto Aereo (Air Transport) Air freight solutions operating from major global airports, offering maximum professionalism and speed for time-sensitive cargo as an Official IATA Agent.
• Trasporto Ferroviario (Railway Transport) Rail freight transport services connecting key European and international logistics corridors.
• Trasporto Intermodale (Intermodal Transport) Integrated multimodal transport solutions combining sea, rail, and road for optimized logistics efficiency.
• Magazzini e Depositi (Warehousing) Global warehouse facilities with 10,000 m² of storage surface, providing professional solutions for comprehensive logistics management.
• Servizi Doganali (Customs Services) Comprehensive customs brokerage and clearance services for international shipments, including AI-powered customs digital processing and compliance advisory for complex EU regulations (ETS, CBAM, EUDR, ICS2).
• Industria Navale (Marine Industry Logistics) Specialized marine industry logistics focusing on new ship construction logistics systems, dry dock operations, and cruise ship refurbishment — the company's core business since its founding in 1934.
• Project Cargo Specialized logistics for oversized and complex project cargo, including custom-designed saddles and lashing solutions for industrial equipment such as out-of-gauge containers and large industrial cranes.
• Merci Pericolose (Dangerous Goods Transport) Transport of hazardous materials compliant with ADR 2025 regulations, including specialized packaging, documentation, and safety protocols for dangerous goods.
• Logistica e-Commerce End-to-end e-commerce logistics solutions for businesses selling internationally online.
• Logistica Fiera ed Eventi (Exhibition and Events Logistics) Specialized logistics services for trade shows, exhibitions, and events, including international event cargo management.
• Logistica Green Economy Sustainable logistics solutions supporting the green economy sector, including eco-friendly transport options and ESG-aligned supply chain management.
• Pharma e Medical Devices Logistics Specialized cold-chain and compliant logistics for pharmaceutical products and medical devices, supporting companies with dedicated services including temperature-controlled logistics and regulatory compliance.
• Near-Shoring Logistics Solutions Strategic logistics consulting and execution for near-shoring supply chains, connecting European companies with production in Eastern Europe, Turkey, and North Africa, including intermodal rail and short-sea shipping solutions.
• Servizi Informatici (IT Services) Specialized IT services supporting digital logistics operations and customs documentation processing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduction of ship turnaround time by 2-3 hours per mega-vessel through AI-powered terminal optimization
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AIT Worldwide LogisticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024In March 2024, Priano Marchelli (founded in 1934) was acquired by AIT Worldwide Logistics. This acquisition combines over 90 years of Italian excellence in marine and cruise logistics with AIT's global network, which has been providing cutting-edge logistics solutions since 1979. The partnership provides access to over 150 offices worldwide and enables integrated door-to-deck logistics solutions while maintaining the quality and technical expertise that has always distinguished Priano Marchelli.
• Marinetrans HoustonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarinetrans Houston, represented by Shivakumar Ganesan, is a partner for project cargo operations in the US market. Priano Marchelli collaborates with Marinetrans Houston on complex shipments such as the successful delivery of an industrial crane from Almaco, Sicily to Houston Port, demonstrating effective cross-border logistics partnership for oversized cargo.
• LubbersminorOthersLubbers is an AIT Worldwide Logistics group company visible in the logo section of Priano Marchelli's website, indicating affiliation within the AIT corporate family.
• MarinetransminorOthersMarinetrans logo appears in the AIT group section of the Priano Marchelli website, indicating affiliation with an AIT Worldwide Logistics subsidiary specializing in maritime logistics.
• Ship Spares LogisticsminorOthersShip Spares Logistics logo appears in the AIT group section, indicating an affiliated AIT subsidiary focused on maritime spares logistics services.
• Go ConfigureminorOthersGo Configure logo appears in the AIT group section, indicating an affiliated AIT subsidiary in the logistics ecosystem.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GEODIS: French-headquartered global logistics provider offering freight forwarding, contract logistics, and distribution. Direct European competitor with comparable multi-modal capabilities and project cargo expertise.
• Expeditors International: US-headquartered global freight forwarder with strong ocean and air freight forwarding operations and customs brokerage. A broad incumbent in the international freight forwarding market.
• DSV: Danish-headquartered global freight forwarder with strong road, air, and sea freight forwarding capabilities. Competes with Priano Marchelli across multi-modal forwarding and project cargo services.
• DB Schenker: German-headquartered global logistics provider offering land, air, and ocean freight forwarding plus contract logistics. A broad incumbent with European network overlap with Priano Marchelli.
• DHL Global Forwarding: Global freight forwarding arm of Deutsche Post DHL, offering ocean, air, road, and rail freight forwarding plus customs. A broad incumbent competitor across Priano Marchelli's entire service portfolio.
• CEVA Logistics: Global third-party logistics provider offering freight forwarding, contract logistics, and supply chain management. Acquired by CMA CGM, providing particular strength in ocean freight forwarding competitive with Priano Marchelli.
• Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with extensive ocean, air, and road freight forwarding capabilities plus customs brokerage. Competes head-to-head with Priano Marchelli on multi-modal forwarding, but operates at vastly greater scale across all verticals.

Direct peers

• Ship Spares Logistics: AIT-affiliated logistics provider focused on maritime spare parts delivery, directly comparable to Priano Marchelli's marine industry vertical and cruise ship supply chain services.
• Marinetrans: Sister company within AIT Worldwide Logistics group, specializing in maritime spare parts logistics and ship spares delivery. Operates as a direct peer in marine logistics with overlapping cruise and shipbuilder customer base.

Others

• Fincantieri: Major Italian shipbuilder and a key customer of Priano Marchelli rather than a direct competitor. Listed as a peer because it represents the shipbuilding vertical that Priano Marchelli's marine logistics arm serves, illustrating the depth of the customer relationship.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prianomarchelli

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Priano Marchelli SPA