Today in Genoa the headquarters of the Port System Authority in Palazzo San Giorgio was the theater, full of history, of the presentation of a new work that makes this day "historical". That it is an epochal moment they have underlined all the representatives of the institutions involved to celebrate the award of the works and their upcoming start, starting from the president of the AdSP of the Western Ligurian Sea, Paolo Emilio Signorini, by the mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci, by the president of the Liguria Region, Giovanni Toti, ending with the minister of Sustainable Infrastructure and Mobility, Enrico Giovannini. Particularly satisfied Signorini, busy more directly as special commissioner for the realization of the work, which - after the setback caused failure to submit tenders for the execution of the project - managed to select the assignee of the works in the times announced.

Yesterday, 12 October, an emblematic date as the anniversary of the discovery of the New World, Signorini was able to proclaim that the construction of the New Foranea Dam of the port of Genoa is has been assigned to the consortium formed by Webuild, Fincantieri, Fincosit and Sidra ( of 12 October 2022). Grouping of undertakings which at this time are very involved in the fate of the Ligurian capital, with the webuild leader who also leads the Cociv consortium that is creating the Terzo Valico dei Giovi, the high-speed railway line capacity on the Genoa-Milan line, and which participated together with Fincantieri also the construction of the Ponte San Giorgio, the new infrastructure built after the collapse of the bridge motorway so-called "Morandi". Fincantieri itself is a historical presence in Genoa in the field of construction naval, but for some time it has also been active in the realization of maritime works and more recently has expanded its field of action to terrestrial works. Fincosit is also another historic Genoese company of the consortium, whose first customer, at the beginning of the last century, was none other than the same Port Authority of Genoa (then Autonomous Consortium of Port of Genoa).

If the date has a high symbolic value, the event chosen for celebrating the event did not turn out to be particularly suitable for the need: a press conference that, as expected, it is transformed into the celebration of an achievement. If the conferral of the execution of the work is an outcome that for itself should not be solemnized, it is instead the next start of a project certainly destined to change deeply, perhaps radically, the areas of the historic port and the port of Sampierdarena. A transformation that will necessarily have effects also on the city: positive effects, he reassured Mayor Bucci highlighting that it is a "moment epochal" also for the city, because - it has underlined - "the city extends over the sea". "It's not just a matter of making an infrastructure - he added - it is the city that expands, which acquires new surfaces'.

As expected, little space for the press, the only audience available to be collected at such short notice. To journalists, therefore, delivered little information, and not even new, neither by Signorini nor by the CEO of Webuild, Pietro Salini. Mouths sewn on practically everything, to start from knowing for what amount it has been awarded the work. To archive questions and not offer answers Signorini us he put little: "I point out - he said - that all the tender material, i.e. the decree of assignment and, to tight turn, also all the documentation attached to the negotiation, minutes and notes will be soon available: of course they will all be published and in that place will be disclosed." It's early - according to Signorini - for delve into "such technical details". "We they are procedures", he recalled, justifying the absence of answers to the questions: "we must secret some parts of the minutes with first and last names'.

Topic closed. Do not ask, therefore, what you would like to know, but maybe what is already known: that is, that the work should start as early as the beginning of next year and end in 2026 or so. Beyond the necessary secrecy of information that should not be disclosed, if you do not understand why already now you do not can know for what amount the work was awarded, not ask us. We too are wondering about it.

The writer, just to clarify, considers it essential to construction of the new breakwater, at least if the Authority of Sistema Portuale, as it seems, intends to continue to develop and further increase traffic, in particular in the basin port of Sampierdarena. So he would be anxious, like many, to know the details of the assignment of the work, its value, the its exact consistency, timing, criticalities.

Silence gives rise to concerns, perhaps unfounded. It is it is also true, however, that sometimes opening a mouth feeds even more fears that the project is not intended to proceed as Should. As when, today, mayor Bucci with his usual roughness, which still someone insists on mistaking for arrogance, he lapidarily replied to a specific question: "but - thundered - there is no cost-benefit analysis, I do not know where have found it! Show it to me, because it doesn't exist a cost-benefit analysis. These works - he continued undeterred (while probably - the lights did not allow to ascertain it - Signorini is bleached) - they are not done with analyzes cost-benefits'. "De Ferrari - he continued referring to the Duke of Galliera, who died in 1876, who financed the extension and renovation of the port of Genoa, including the his dam - he didn't do it with the cost-benefits." To those who have them noting that the cost-benefit analysis is on record (which the Port System Authority has also paid for it and that in this era - notes the writer - thanks to God these analyzes are they have been doing for some time), the mayor replied: "I don't know if it's on record or not' Note that the Municipality of Genoa is intervened in the debate on the project and on the costs and benefits of the work. "But - he concluded lapidary - I do not I consider, period. But let's really joke! But in short! But where we are!" In 2022, in Italy, an advanced nation and so far democratic, one would have to answer him.

Sometimes, we must admit, silence is golden.

Bruno Bellio