Geopolitics and global tensions transform Liguria's ports

Ports

Quayside concessionaires, Paroli proposes a mediation table

The Commissioner: 'The most important reorganisations are to be carried out within a four-year term of office'

21 July 2025

3' min read

Some measures he has already implemented, as soon as he 'disembarked' at the Western Ligurian Sea Port System Authority. For others, however, he will need more time.

Matteo Paroli, former secretary general first of Ancona and then of Livorno, became extraordinary commissioner of the Ligurian capital's port on 16 June. On 27 June, a decree issued by the Ministry of Transport also granted him the powers and prerogatives that the law (84/94) attributes to a port's management committee.

Although he had been designated by the MIT, with the placet of the Liguria Region, president of the Superba and Torretta ports, due to internal quarrels within the government majority, Paroli (like other presidents, already chosen in other ports) arrived at the summit of the Adsp with the commissioner's appointment. Although everyone knows, including him of course, that the appointment is only completed with the official designation as president of the Port System Authority.

Then he can proceed, he explains, 'to set up the management committee, whose members I have already received nominations from the Region and the mayors of Genoa Savona'.

Then there will be the appointment of the secretary general of the Adsp: 'I think,' he says, 'that he should not be chosen by a commissioner, whose office is, by definition, temporary, while the office of secretary is four years'. And, again, 'the organisation of the Adsp, where many managers have retired and have not been replaced but replaced with interim appointments, could be reviewed'. Finally, Paroli will focus 'on the reorganisation of the port, putting his hand to the port's Master Plan. To do all these things, it takes a four-year term as president'.

Paroli, in any case, of resolutions, in the space of a month, three have already been adopted, and quite a lot: the technical postponement, until 30 September, of the expiry date of the provisional deed in favour of the Spinelli company for the state-owned areas of the Genoa Port Terminal (whose concessions have been cancelled by the Council of State); the granting of an interim state-owned title, for three months, to Forest of the Campostano group; as well as the granting of a maritime state-owned concession to Gnl Med, for the construction and management of a new LNG storage facility in the port of Vado Ligure (conditional on the approval of the project by the Ministry of the Environment).

As for the belligerence between the concessionaires of the Genoese quays, this 'risks ruining the port,' says Paroli, 'since, in a belligerent context, traffic is decreasing. The Adsp offers a peace table. But if this should remain deserted, I want to remind you that the Authority has arsenals equipped enough to impose it'. And he who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Finally, a project, which is also very clear: to accompany the energy transition, 'by making the port of Genoa and Savona a centre of excellence in research. This will make it possible to manage transience, for example in ship propulsion, with fuels such as LNG, Hvo and methanol, and to arrive at valid fuels of a different nature in 20-25 years' time. More or less the same period of time it will take to have the technology, and the legislation, that will allow us to power the port with even small 5 megawatt nuclear power plants'.

Raoul de Forcaderedattore
Luogo: Genova
Lingue parlate: italiano, inglese
Argomenti: shipping, nautica, economia, finanza.
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