TRIESTE – The future of the Northern Adriatic ports depends on greater integration between Italian ports and those on the other side of the Adriatic. This was the message that emerged from the conference organised by the Venice Sustainability Foundation as part of the Venice Boat Show, where the idea of a multi-port system involving Venice, Trieste, Ravenna, Koper and Rijeka was relaunched.
The proposal comes at a time when the North East continues to make only partial use of the geographical advantage of its ports. It also follows the effective failure of the NAPA initiative (North Adriatic Ports Association). According to data presented during the meeting, 69% of companies in Veneto choose the port of Genoa as their main gateway for exports, even though the Northern Adriatic ports are closer to the economic heart of Europe.
One of the central themes of the debate was the possible relaunch of cooperation between the ports in the area, a concept that directly recalls the historical role of NAPA (North Adriatic Ports Association), the organisation that brings together Venice, Trieste, Ravenna, Koper and Rijeka. According to the speakers, only greater integration could make it possible to achieve the critical mass needed to attract major shipping companies and bring a larger share of traffic bound for Central Europe back to the Adriatic.
Paolo Costa, president of the scientific committee of the Venice Sustainability Foundation, argued that the solution lies in creating a single system for the five ports, with common governance and the ability to present itself to the market as one major logistics hub. Costa also pointed out that alternative corridors to the traditional Mediterranean routes now make the Northern Adriatic particularly competitive, with cost advantages over the ports of Genoa and Marseille.
The meeting also highlighted the need to strengthen cross-border rail links, particularly along the Trieste-Koper axis, considered one of the main bottlenecks for the development of traffic in the area.
Roberto Mantovanelli, Secretary General of the Port System Authority of Venice and Chioggia, recalled the importance of cooperation between the Northern Adriatic ports and of strengthening multimodality, noting the investments under way in rail and road connections and the growing role of Veneto’s logistics system in the European context.
