The Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ports of Genoa and Highway H20- Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System, was signed today, at the first edition of the prestigious CLIA Cruise Week Europe hosted in Genoa, by the Government Commissioner of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority Paolo Piacenza and Adam Tindall-Schlicht Administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS).
This partnership marks an important moment, uniting two major public corporations from opposite sides of the Atlantic, in a shared commitment towards the promotion of trade opportunities, innovation, environmental sustainability and shared best practices.
The Ports of Genoa has always played a key role in maritime trade across Italy and the Mediterranean. The combination of a strategic location in the heart of Europe and a full range of modern multi-cargo terminals have consolidated the position of the Ports of Genoa and Savona-Vado Ligure as a major gateway for international trade. Last year the Ports of Genoa, Italy’s leading port, handled a total of 64 million tons of cargo, 2.8 million TEUs and over 5.2 million passengers.
Similarly, the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway System, the longest deep-draft navigation system in the world (extending 3,700 kilometres), serves as a vital trading route for the transportation of cargo between the Great Lakes in North America and the Atlantic Ocean by virtually moving every kind of commodity: annual commerce on the System exceeds 200 million net tons and there is still ample room for growth.
The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS), a wholly owned government corporation operates and maintains U.S. infrastructure, including two Seaway locks in Massena, N.Y., and waters of the St. Lawrence Seaway, while performing trade development focused on driving economic activity for the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System. The GLS mission is to serve the marine transportation industries by providing a safe, secure, reliable, efficient, and competitive deep draft international waterway, in cooperation with the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC).
Today, by joining forces, the Ports of Genoa and Highway H20 pledged to facilitate and promote international trade between the ports and between the two regions, share data and information on latest market and shipping trends, enhance know-how of maritime professionals in both regions across training programmes and develop environmental sustainability by sharing best practices for reducing carbon emissions, implementing green port policies and technologies.
Across this Memorandum of Cooperation, Ports of Genoa and Highway H20 are committed to fostering greater synergy and contribute to establishing a more prosperous future for the respective regions and countries.
