The strengthening of rail and road connections, the availability of spaces for the different product categories, the economic sustainability of investments and compatibility of port activities with the urban fabric are some of the main issues that emerged from the first phase of consultation on the new Port Master Plan of the ports of Genoa and Savona-Vado, promoted by the Port System Authority of the Ligurian Sea Western. The path, which began on 4 September and ended on Tuesday involved over 120 subjects through 65 hearings, seven of which with citizen committees.

From the discussion with economic operators, the need for to avoid overly rigid planning of destinations of port areas. Assiterminal, Uniport, Assologistica and Federlogistica, together with the railway operators of Agens and Fercargo, shared the flexible approach of the Plan, which will have to make it possible to adapt the spaces to the evolution of the traffic. Economic studies indicate containers, rolling stock and among the segments with the greatest development prospects. Assagenti and Spediporto also asked to safeguard the bulk containers, expand empty container spaces and build a Unified Centre for Health and Veterinary Checks on Goods from third countries.

A particularly relevant chapter concerns accessibility land. The road haulage associations have called the need to better organize the flows of heavy vehicles, the areas storage and parking areas, preventing the growth of traffic congestion urban area. For the Genoese port area of Sampierdarena it was the construction of a storage and parking pole for the heavy vehicles in San Benigno/Sanità. In Savona, Province and Municipalities in the area shared the approach that connects the increase in port capacity to improve accessibility, with particular reference to the tunnel subport and a buffer area near the toll booth motorway. The proposal also provides for an expansion towards the sea of multipurpose spaces. The Port Authority aims overall at a limited increase in port areas, in the order of 8%, favoring the efficiency of existing ones.

On the railway front, RFI and operators in the sector have stressed the importance of strengthening the last mile, the parks internal rail and connections with the national network, enhancing the opportunities offered by the Terzo Valico in phase of implementation. The Committee of Free Citizens of Certosa has solicited further information on traffic interference dangerous goods railway and the district.

The Genoese trade unions shared the need of flexible planning, but requiring a direction of the Port Authority on the destinations of the areas, the protection of bulk cargo and the protection of employment.

The relationship between port activities and the environment was at the same time the focus above all of the meetings with civic representatives. I committees have placed emphasis on air quality, health of residents and the effects of port activities. The Port Authority illustrated the epidemiological study envisaged with the Istituto Superiore di Sanità and ARPAL, relating to nine Genoese neighborhoods and about 122 thousand inhabitants, in addition to the Electrification of the quays for ships from ferries and later commercial traffic. The Ponente-Palmaro Coordination Committee expressed opposition any filling of the Genoese basin of Pra' is requested mitigation and compensation interventions for the neighborhoods. On the possible transfer of the chemical deposits of Multedo, has also invited to also consider solutions outside the territory Genoese.

The reorganisation of deposits and assets Genoese industrialists has also been addressed with Fincantieri, Porto Petroli and Assocostieri. The goal of the Port Authority is safeguard the operational capacity of Porto Petroli, maintaining the three berths and the current levels of handling, while at the same time identifying an alternative location for the chemical deposits. Fincantieri and the nautical representatives recalled the prospects for the development of shipbuilding, refitting and yacht construction, with the possibility of a new dock in Genoa Levante. Chamber of Commerce, Confcommercio and Genova4Yachting also highlighted the opportunities for the enhancement of port spaces in interface with the city and development of activities high-end nautical products.

Another transversal element is the economic sustainability of the works. Confindustria Genoa shared the need to avoid oversized interventions and to encourage the involvement of private capital and partnership public-private sector. The Liguria Region expressed its appreciation for general approach, proposing, however, for Genoa further in-depth analysis of some configurations of the historic basin, the ports of Levante and Pra'. The technical-nautical services also recalled the need to carefully verify accessibility, maneuverability and safety of the different configurations.

At the end of the meetings, the president of the Port Authority, Matteo Paroli, explained that the contributions collected will have to be evaluated and translated into technically, environmentally and economically sustainable. Stakeholders will be able to convey further comments by 15 November. The objective of the port authority is to arrive at the pre-adoption of the PRP between the end of this year and the beginning of 2027, and then complete process, including the Strategic Environmental Assessment, and reach final approval in 2028.