We are in Seatrade Miami, at the heart of the global cruise industry
From 7th to 10th April, the Ports of Genoa were in Miami to attend the Seatrade Cruise Global 2025, the leading international trade fair for the cruise industry, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, bringing together more than 600 exhibitors, and over 11,000 visitors from 120 countries.
The Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority took part in the Assoporti – Association of Italian Ports pavilion, CruiseItaly, located at stand number 1806 in the Exhibition Hall.
The Ports of Genoa and Savona are a premier hub for over 5 million passengers annually, and market leader in the cruise port industry, ranking amongst the most popular turnaround and transit ports in Italy and in the Mediterranean, with a total of 440 calls and 2.3 million passengersregistered in 2024.
The Ports of Genoa coordinate and oversee the activities of the cruise terminals, ensuring the full range of high-quality efficient passenger services. The terminals are equipped with modern facilities to accommodate cruise passengers, with a strong focus on logistics management and environmental sustainability. Specifically, Stazioni Marittime Genova, homeport of MSC Cruises, recorded 304 port calls in 2024, accommodating a total of 1,531,406 passengers, with 600,011 embarking at the Port of Genoa. Meanwhile, Savona's Palacrociere, the main turnaround port for Costa Crociere, reported 133 ship port calls and 753,000 passengers.
The cruise sector is experiencing a general surge in volumes worldwide, with increases in passenger throughput also forecast at the Western Ligurian Sea Ports. Data released by CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) point to a total economic value of € 14.7 billion across Italy, € 6.6 billion of which generated directly, with the remainder € 8.1 billion deriving from indirect and spillover effects. The cruise industry contributes a total of € 6.3 billion to the Italian GDP and supports over 96,000 jobs, 8,700 of which are directly employed by cruise companies and 88,000 through direct, indirect, and spillover effects across the broader economy.
The rapid growth of the cruise sector not only promotes tourism within port cities but also revitalises local shipbuilding and refitting industries, which significantly contribute to Italy's blue economy. Over a third of the jobs generated (38%) are indeed linked to the shipbuilding industry, contributing € 2.6 billion to the Italian GDP and representing 41% of the total impact.
Cruising with a focus on sustainability
The Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority has recently commissioned PTS Group to conduct a study on the sustainability of the cruise sector in the Ports of Genoa and Savona, structured in three phases.
The first phase involves defining the evolving scenario of the cruise sector and identifying and profiling the operators across the supply chain of the Ports of Genoa and Savona.
The second phase entails gathering information on the economic driving forces of the cruise sector to assess its impact upon the Western Ligurian Sea local community. This phase also includes analysing prospects for clean energy transition and synergies with the airport.
The third phase completes the analysis of the impact of cruise activities by integrating information gathered in the previous phases with estimates of cruise passenger expenditure at the port-city. This final phase focuses on understanding and quantifying the indirect economic impact generated by cruise passengers in the area and evaluating their experience and satisfaction in terms of port services and infrastructure.
Enhancing, investing, growing
The extensive infrastructure development plan for the cruise passenger ports of Genoa and Savona forges ahead. With an investment of over € 100 million, the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority seeks to address the significant challenges of the global cruise sector, ensuring that the ports are prepared to accommodate next-generation cruise ships whilst providing easy, safe and sustainable access for over five million passengers annually.
The increase in cruise passenger traffic in Genoa and Savona is managed in compliance with strict environmental and sustainability standards. To minimise carbon emissions and noise pollution in nearby urban areas, the Port Authority has invested over € 60 million for the installation of onshore power supply facilities at the terminals. This infrastructure allows ships to switch off their generators whilst docked.In Genoa’s passenger port, the investment carried out by the Port Authority amounts to € 20 million for a system capable of generating a power output of 64 MW, with the first phase expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Alongside an additional € 32 million drawn from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan for the installation of OPS at the cargo port's docks. Similarly, at Savona’s cruise port, an investment of € 10 million is underway for quay electrification, scheduled for completion in March 2026.
In Genoa, expansion works are progressing at the Ponte dei Mille Levante cruise terminal, with an investment exceeding € 24 million. The project involves reconfiguring the Ponte dei Mille Levante dock with the construction of a new terrace to enable the safe docking of next-generation cruise ships. Specifically, the project includes the extension of the eastern dock to 376 metres; the construction of the elevated terrace; implementing anti-erosion protection at the base of existing docks; and expanding the Calata Santa Limbania dock adjacent to the former Hennebique grain silos, subject to an extensive € 133 million redevelopment plan. The building will be transformed into a multifunctional hub serving the city and tourism; completion is scheduled for December 2027.
Among the recently completed works are dredging operations, essential for ensuring safe accessibility by sea, thereby maintaining depths sufficient for the safe passage and manoeuvres of the ultra-large cruise ships. In both Genoa and Savona, the seabeds have been dredged to -11 metres.
The upgrade of the docks at Ponte dei Mille Ponente has also been completed, with the aim of accommodating next-generation vessels; in addition to the retrofitting of the maritime station at Ponte Doria and the Cesare Imperiale promenade - a key welcoming point for cruise passengers.
In the course of 2024-2025, Stazioni Marittime has also launched a € 1.5 million investment programme to reopen the western wing of the historic Maritime Station at Ponte dei Mille to passengers. The works include the retrofitting of the foundations using cutting-edge techniques and the reorganisation of interior spaces, which has freed up an additional 500 sqm for cruise operations.
With a strong focus on sustainability, in Savona the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority (AdSP) is implementing two Smart Grid projects to improve the port’s energy efficiency across the installation of photovoltaic systems and energy storage solutions.
These projects involve the creation of a Smart Grid combined with an energy storage system and a solar power generation plant, with investments exceeding € 13 million and € 11 million respectively. They have been designed to have a positive impact across the entire port area by enhancing the sustainability of both tourism and urban activities, optimising energy interaction with the public grid based on demand and time of use, and delivering significant benefits in terms of both network management and savings on energy from traditional sources. The commissioning of both projects is scheduled by 2026.
For the past five years, the AdSP has been planning and investing in the Port of Savona across a series of initiatives, including the renovation of the main dock at Calata delle Vele in Savona and preparatory dredging works to accommodate next-generation LNG-powered ships, such as the Costa Toscana, with a total investment of € 17 million.
Concurrently, Costa Crociere has conducted private investments of over € 5 million to refurbish and restyle the terminal and to boost operational capacity and passenger comfort, including the installation of two new boarding bridges at Terminal 1 for the XL-class ships of the Carnival group. Additionally, the lighting system has been replaced with energy-efficient LED lamps, and a project has been launched in partnership with Re-Cig to collect and recycle cigarette butts, transforming the filters into new plastic materials. The initiative has enabled the collection of over 8 kg of cigarette butts - equivalent to more than 27,000 cigarettes - and their conversion into recycled cellulose acetate, a plastic polymer that can be used in the manufacture of various objects and accessories.
An integrated mobility hub for passengers from around the globe
Given the many investments underway and the steadily growing number of passengers and tourists, the capacity to offer smart and fast public passenger intermodal transport services - services that facilitate travel between air, rail, and sea, to reduce the use of private vehicles - becomes increasingly important.
For this reason, the AdSP is investing in a development plan to improve connections between Genova City Airport, the national railway system, and the passenger terminals of the Ports of Genoa and Savona. The main goal is to facilitate the mobility of the millions of passengers who travel each year by land, sea, and air within the port and urban areas of Genoa and Savona, integrating all modes of transport into a unified system to promote sustainable travel and reduce the impact on the cities that accommodate the passenger terminals.
The plan includes several measures to improve links between transport hubs: the creation of an elevated "Moving Walkway" approximately 600 metres long, connecting the Genova City Airport with the future Erzelli/Airport railway stop, providing fast and direct access to the terminal; the construction of a 300-metre walkway connecting the Stazione Marittima to the Genoa Piazza Principe railway station, to improve accessibility and remove architectural barriers; and the redevelopment of a maritime railway station with a dedicated passenger platform and direct moving walkway link to the Palacrociere cruise terminal in Savona.
Participation in Seatrade Cruise Global 2025 therefore represents a major international showcase for the Ports of Genoa and confirms the commitment of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority to consolidate the leadership of the Ports of Genoa and Savona in the Mediterranean, focusing on innovation, accessibility and sustainability.
