Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), Intesa Sanpaolo e Banca Europea of Investments (EIB) have granted La Spezia Container Terminal (LSCT), the terminalista company of the Contship group Italy active in the port of La Spezia, a loan of 160 million euro aimed at modernizing the port area managed by LSCT with the purchase of 20 new lifting equipment, the strengthening of the railway system and the increase of the quay and yard capacity, with positive effects on employment and the environment. The loan has a duration total of 15 years with a period of availability, in to which the disbursement of funds can be requested, until December 2025.

In particular, the resources will support the investment plan of LSCT, finalized last July 29 with the Authority of Port System of the Eastern Ligurian Sea ( of 29 July 2022), dedicated to the purchase of new quay cranes of latest generation, of Automated Stacking Cranes forecourt and other cranes dedicated to ground service, in addition to improvement of the infrastructure as a whole. The work will concern mainly: the construction of a new quay; the construction of an operational square; the works at the Marina canaletto; and finally, the strengthening of the railway system in the ground movement of goods.

The development of these works will allow the terminal to achieve a total annual handling capacity of equal to about two million teu and a share of transfer of goods by rail which will increase from the current 33% up to 50%.

Andrea Clerici, Head of the EIB's Lending Division Infrastructure, Energy and Public Sector in Italy and Malta, has underlined that 'with this operation the EIB confirms its as the main financier of Italian ports and, once again, once, demonstrates its commitment to supporting development economic and the decarbonisation of the port sector, an element fundamental to allow Italy to remain one of the main European players for maritime transport'.

The operation was structured by the Management Corporate Finance Mid-Cap of the IMI Corporate & Division Investment Banking of Intesa Sanpaolo (which will also operate in quality of Agent Bank), CDP and EIB.