The Italian city of Brindisi, once known as the “door to the Orient” for its ancient role in maritime trade, sees the world’s current shipping snarls as an opportunity to reclaim its status as a key hub for commerce, with some help from European Union funds.

The key to its success would be to widen its port to host growing numbers of so-called RoRo, or roll-on roll-off, ships. These vessels carry wheeled cargo loaded with goods. Brindisi has already received a first installment of 60 million euros ($65 million) to begin the work.