The port of Naples is set for a major reorganisation and restoration aimed at improving safety and the environment around the harbour, as well as rail and road links and energy efficiency around the site.
- 02 May 2016
Well-functional, safe and efficient ports are vital transport hubs connecting towns and cities across Europe. They are a valuable source of employment and help stimulate local, regional and national economies. Naples’ port is no exception. It is one of the largest seaports on the Mediterranean, currently with an annual cargo traffic capacity of around 25 million tonnes. The port employs some 4 800 people catering to more than 64 000 ships every year.
What can be expected from this major EU investment in the Campania region of Italy? The project, entitled “Logistica e porti. Sistema integrato portuale di Napoli”, covers a range of tasks affecting the port infrastructure itself, and also the surrounding harbour.
Activities in the port area include the completion of the sewerage network (around 16 km), a reorganisation of the internal road and rail links (26 000 m2 and 3 km respectively), and plans to improve energy efficiency with the introduction of around 10 000 m2 of solar collection panels.
Work is planned to scan and clean some 2 800 000 m2 of the surrounding seafloor in search of unexploded ordnance and for hidden archaeological relics. Works are also planned to ensure the safety of the Marinella dock area of the port.
Plans to restore parts of the port, extend the Duca d'Aosta dam and dredge the seabed in the eastern area of Naples are also among the project’s planned initiatives, with the resulting dredged sediment being stored in a tank (‘cassa di colmata) in the Levante dock.
New jobs and a cultural spin-off
Some 70 new jobs are expected to be created to carry out these wide-ranging activities aimed at improving the overall safety, operations and environment of Naples’ port and harbour area. The seabed exploration and cleaning in the vicinity of the port is likely to uncover wrecks and archaeological finds, which would have potential cultural heritage significance for Naples’ tourism.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Logistica e porti. Sistema integrato portuale di Napoli” is EUR 154 200 000, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 115 650 000 through the “Campania” Operational Programme for the 2007-2013 programming period.