by MK
Italy took a step toward overhauling the governance of its port system on Friday after the Conference of Regions approved, by majority vote, a government decree aimed at reshaping how the country’s ports are managed and coordinated.
The proposed reform would establish a single national body responsible for overseeing strategic investments across Italy’s port network, replacing a more fragmented governance model. The measure is part of the government’s broader effort to strengthen the country’s role in European and Mediterranean logistics.
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Edoardo Rixi welcomed the vote, describing the proposal as “a modern, practical reform” that he said had been developed with input from regional authorities and other stakeholders.
Speaking in Trieste on Friday during a public discussion on the reform, Rixi said the changes are intended to give Italy a unified strategy for competing in the global maritime sector.
“The biggest challenge is to have a global vision of the maritime sector,” Rixi told InTrieste. “Italy wants to become the leading European country in maritime logistics over the next 10 years.”
He said the government has invested heavily in expanding rail infrastructure and strengthening the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridors connecting Italian ports with Central Europe. According to Rixi, coordinating ports, railways and logistics infrastructure under a national framework would make Italy more competitive across the Mediterranean.
“We need to think globally while operating locally,” he said. “Our goal is to offer a unified system that can become the most important logistics platform in the Mediterranean for European markets.”
Rixi noted that roughly 23 percent of global maritime freight passes through the Mediterranean Sea, arguing that Italy’s geographic position gives it an opportunity to significantly expand its role in international trade.
He also acknowledged long-standing concerns about rail connectivity in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, home to the Port of Trieste, one of Italy’s busiest commercial ports.
While describing improved rail infrastructure as essential, Rixi said the project requires a national rather than regional approach.
“This cannot be only a local objective,” he said. “It has to be a national strategy. We want regions to compete internationally, not against each other.”
He added that the proposed national governance structure is intended to coordinate investments across Italy’s logistics network and ensure infrastructure projects are planned within a broader strategic framework.
The reform still faces additional legislative steps before it can take effect, but Friday’s endorsement by the Conference of Regions marks a significant milestone in the government’s effort to centralize strategic planning for Italy’s port system.
