by InTrieste
Italy’s Ministry of Infrastructure has appointed Marco Consalvo as the new president of the Port Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea, ending more than 500 days of temporary administration at the ports of Trieste and Monfalcone.
The appointment, approved by Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini, follows favorable votes from the relevant committees in both chambers of Parliament. In those hearings, Consalvo outlined the priorities for his term, emphasizing the need to advance already-approved projects and unlock existing funding. Among the most significant initiatives are €416 million in National Recovery and Resilience Plan allocations for the Seventh Pier and an additional €316 million earmarked for the Eighth Pier, a platform expected to triple Trieste’s capacity.
Addressing lawmakers, Consalvo described the city’s historic Porto Franco as “a major opportunity not yet fully realized,” noting its strategic importance along the emerging India–Middle East–Europe Corridor, sometimes referred to as the “Cotton Route.”
Political reaction to the appointment has been broadly positive. According to a statement from the ministry, Consalvo’s nomination reflects a commitment to strengthening the governance of Italy’s port system while ensuring stability, administrative continuity, and effective implementation of development strategies.
Edoardo Rixi, the deputy infrastructure minister and a member of the League party, said he was confident that under a renewed spirit of institutional cooperation, Trieste and Monfalcone would continue to expand, innovate, and serve as key hubs for the Adriatic and the country as a whole.
Members of the ruling coalition and the opposition echoed those sentiments. From Brothers of Italy, MP Giorgia Matteoni and regional group leader Claudio Giacomelli extended congratulations to the newly appointed president. Caterina Conti, the regional secretary of the Democratic Party, said the minister’s signature “finally brings an end to an unjustifiable delay,” adding that the nearly two-year wait had made the situation “inevitably more complex” and had left several critical issues unresolved.
With formal approval now secured, Consalvo is expected to move quickly to address those pending matters and to set a long-delayed strategic course for the region’s port system.
