The programme of meetings launched by the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority on the new Port Masterplan will kick off tomorrow, Friday 4 September. The Masterplan is the strategic planning tool that will define the future layout and multi-functions of the areas in the Ports of Genoa, Savona and Vado Ligure over the coming decades.
Over 20 meetings have been scheduled over a period of approximately 40 days, with representatives of the port cluster, local institutions, industry associations and other groups of public and private stakeholders impacted by the forthcoming planning decisions. The objective is to illustrate the wide range of proposals currently under development, to provide a clear overview of the strategic directions and options under consideration, and to gather contributions that may inform the subsequent stages of the approval process.
Alongside this programme, and as part of its firm commitment to full transparency and open dialogue, the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority has decided to organise dedicated meetings with citizen committees and associations that have expressed an interest in port-related issues, with specific reference to relations and integration between the port and the surrounding urban fabric.
Upon the conclusion of the consultation process, the documentation presented by the Port Authority will be uploaded in a dedicated section of the www.portsofgenoa.com website and made available to the general public.
It is important to note that the consultation process does not alter the roles and responsibilities established by law. Responsibility for port planning remains with the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, in accordance with the legislation in force. Within this framework, the Port Authority has chosen to accompany the exercise of its statutory duties with clear and accessible information for stakeholders, ensuring transparency in terms of the proposals under development. The programme of meetings over the coming weeks will support the further development and refinement of the proposals before they are submitted to the Port Authority Management Committee, to be convened by January 2027 to initiate the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure. Avventura Urbana, a company specialised in stakeholder and community engagement processes, is assisting the Port Authority in ensuring the highest standards of transparency throughout the process.
Matteo Paroli, President of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, declared: “Port planning is one of the most important undertakings entrusted by law to the Italian Port Authorities. It paves the way for the creation of a competitive port and a healthy local economy, whilst also improving relations with the city and the surrounding area. We intend to exercise this responsibility transparently, presenting the proposals on which we are working, ahead of the formal institutional stages, and listening attentively to the stakeholders concerned. We will engage with the port cluster, institutions and industry associations, but we have also chosen to open a dialogue with the citizen committees and associations. This is how we intend to build a constructive relationship between the port and the city, conceived in its broadest sense: not only institutions, but also communities, territories, and the economic and social organisations that coexist and engage with the port. A major port must be in a position to plan its development, whilst also being capable of explaining the choices it makes. This openness does not call into question established roles and responsibilities; rather, it strengthens the way in which we intend to exercise them, through a genuine capacity to listen and a clear willingness to assume full responsibility for the decisions taken. The Ports of Genoa, Savona and Vado have a duty to grow and generate value, but they must do so in harmony with the cities and communities that host them.”
