The new Port Masterplan (pursuant to Decree Law 169/2016*) sets out the strategic and territorial planning in the medium-long term, identifying integrated development plans showing ports as gateways of complex logistics districts which encompass dry ports, inland terminals and the related transport networks, in compliance with regulations enforced by the National Coordination Office of the Port Authorities entitled to outline macro-skills of each port system, based on demand in Italy.
Strategic guidelines and subjects laid down in the new Masterplan of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority have ensued from the analyses of the plans specifically designed for each single port (Genoa, Savona and Vado) and from a joint interpretation of requirements and strategies to be developed in the macro area, particularly considering potential markets as well as the current state and prospects of transport infrastructures.
From this point of view, actions, as provided for in the existing plans, are currently being fulfilled, while the envisaged market demand and the requirements set out by the port community would call for a deeper evaluation of infrastructures and territorial/information governance in order to enhance the Port Authority competitiveness globally.
For this specific purpose, a new planning phase,prompted by the upcoming requirements of the shipping and transport market, has been developed by Municipality in close collaboration with the port community a couple of years ago. However, the subsequent procedure and the approval of a new Port Masterplan (PRP), with the related strategic environmental impact (VAS), wasn't adopted due to new legislative amendments set by the afore mentioned Decree 169/2016.
The new projects, set out within this procedure, have become a landmark for the development of the new Port Masterplan and essentially envisage the following strategies:
- accessibility improvement, primarily by sea and land, in terms of infrastructures but also from an urban point of view, by creating new quays and gates
- innovation, essentially an improved management of procedures and flows, increasingly implementing information technologies to streamline the whole process
- flexibility, in regulations, operations and consequently territorial management
- goal-sharing, focusing on the plan's layout and on territorial exploitation, particularly in relation to port-city areas
In light of the above, the activities to be developed, across the planning phase, need to meet immediate operational requirements, on the one hand adjusting the legislation which governs the existing planning tools, and, on the other hand, strengthening the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority’s competitiveness in the medium-long term by implementing the new Port Masterplan.
Regarding the layout of the new Port Masterplan, a comprehensive state-of-the-art analyses of the Ports of Genoa and Savona, in relation to maritime traffic, public works (in progress and planned), sea and land accessibility, information flow management, port works, etc, has commenced.
From the above analyses, strategic guidelines will be outlined, in conformity with the National Coordination Conference regulation, that will feature the new Port Masterplan.
*Decree law 169/2016 generated substantial innovations in ports and port systems' planning. The decree was followed by the “Guidelines to draw up Port System Masterplan (PRdSP)” pursuant to art. 6 Decree Law 169/2016, issued by the Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport on 08.06.2017, which features an important reference in the planning criteria.
