Messina (Assarmatori): shipping and the national economy cannot afford a government crisis

There are many, for the economy but also for the transport sector maritime, the issues to be addressed listed by the President of Assarmatori, starting from the implementation of the National Plan of Recovery and Resilience and an economic recovery that require decisions and not crisis openings to arrive, relative to the shipping, to the possible negative, potentially devastating impacts - specified Messina - that Italian maritime transport would accuse from the combined provisions of the rules dictated by the International Maritime Organization and the "Fit" package for 55" of the European Union. Messina also mentioned the need to simplify the regulatory framework of the sector maritime, freeing it from rules dictated 80 years ago and, indeed, securing the support of the State as soon as possible the activities of Italian shipping companies, the the need to protect the Italian cruise industry, and all its induced also in terms of employment, with particular regard to the "Venice case", and, again, take into account the know-how of the shipowners in sight the increase in imports of liquefied natural gas.

"Our companies - said the president of Assarmatori - want to continue to create development and places of work and are concerned about the untimeliness of the rules IMO and the EU for environmental sustainability. We ask the government to fight in the final negotiations between Parliament, the Council and Commission to protect all island links (in this case) also for larger islands) and the Motorways of the Sea, which go promoted without discrimination between operators, avoiding boomerang effects, i.e. the reverse modal shift from the sea to the street".

"Similar concern - continued Messina - is also expressed with regard to regulatory simplification. We need to be freed from rules dictated 80 years ago. Want compete on an equal footing with shipowners, including those of member countries of the EU, flying flags of states that have made the maritime transport system without any decrease in standards safety or work. Our companies are waiting for the completion of the legislative process necessary to adapt to what was requested by the European Commission two and a half years ago, that is, to extend the benefits of the International Register, instrument that has guaranteed growth and employment, even in the case of to which Italian companies operate with ships registered in the countries of the European Union'.

Messina highlighted that "also the sector cruise, although in clear recovery after the zeroing of the traffic due to the pandemic, lives a complicated moment. The closure of the Giudecca Canal, in Venice - he explained - he inflicted a very hard blow to this sector throughout the Adriatic. We hope that the government will indicate a solution in order to be able to use the Vittorio Emanuele Canal, to finally see approved the Sludge Protocol and to accelerate the implementation of new approaches to Marghera guaranteeing additional resources to the Commissioner: this sector is also a fundamental driving force for the national economy'.

Finally, referring to Italy's need to change and diversify its energy supply funds dictated by the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war, and the consequent investments requested by the government from publicly controlled enterprises, that have started to move by acquiring regasification plants floating, the president of Assarmatori specified that, "in view of a growth in the import of liquefied natural gas, we private shipowners we have the skills for supply management chain and logistics and we provide our know-how».