TRIESTE – Shore-side electrification in Italian ports has arrived in London and is attracting the attention of the international financial world. Italy’s cold ironing project was at the centre of the workshop “Cold ironing, powering the ports of the future”, hosted by the Italian Embassy in the United Kingdom in collaboration with Aon and the law firm ADVANT-Nctm.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the maritime cluster, delegates to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), insurers and investment funds specialising in infrastructure, interested in the economic and financial prospects for the development of shore power in Italian ports. During the proceedings, Benedetta Scotti, senior official at the Directorate-General for Ports, Logistics and Intermodality of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, presented the national programme for quay electrification. The debate focused on investment opportunities, risk allocation and the insurance coverage needed to support the energy transition of ports.
The topics addressed also included legal aspects linked to liability in the event of malfunctions in shore-side power supply systems and the need to develop adequate insurance solutions to protect concessionaires and port operators. According to participants, the definition of a clear regulatory and insurance framework is a key element in encouraging investment and supporting the spread of cold ironing in Italian ports.
