Genoa, 9 June 2026 - The Misurata Free Zone delegation on a fact-finding mission at the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority headquarters of Palazzo San Giorgio to gain an insight into Italy’s premier port and its prospects for growth and development. The official visit is part of the Genova–Misurata Free Zone Meeting, promoted by the Genoa Chamber of Commerce, to foster closer relations between the Libyan economic zone and Liguria’s vibrant shipping community at the helm of the Mediterranean’s leading southern maritime Gateway into Europe.
During the general presentation of the Ports of Genoa and Savona-Vado, a focus was placed upon the strategic position of the Italian port along the European logistic corridors, the upgrade of direct rail and road connections, and an expansion of the E-port digital platform — key drivers of efficiency, resilience and competitiveness within international supply chains.
Central to the port’s future is the construction of the new open-sea breakwater, a sophisticated feat of engineering and one of Europe’s largest planned maritime infrastructure projects underway: a 1.4 billion euro investment, catering for the advent of the ultra-large container vessels in the basin of Genoa-Sampierdarena, which attracted considerable interest from the Libyan delegation. The programme also included a guided boat tour of the Port of Genoa cargo and passenger handling facilties, and shipyard newbuild activities both at Sestri Ponente and at the Ship Repairs Area, which also accommodates extensive ship maintenance and superyacht refitting operations.
The initiative forms part of a broader dialogue established between Genoa’s maritime, port and logistics cluster and the Misurata Free Zone, with the objective of fostering mutual understanding and identifying potential areas of cooperation in the fields of port management, logistics, training and innovation.
“We are delighted to welcome the delegation from the Misurata Free Zone and to showcase the assets of a port cluster that today ranks amongst the Mediterranean’s leading logistics platforms,” declared Matteo Paroli, President of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority. “We presented the Port Authority’s €3.6 billion infrastructure investment programme, which encompasses the strategic projects that will shape the future of the Italian port and supply chain industry. Dialogue with dynamic organisations such as the Misurata Free Zone can contribute to strengthening relations between the two shores of the Mediterranean and create new opportunities for cooperation in the fields of port operations, logistics and economic development.”
