TRIESTE – The Region, in approving the budget, has allocated 4 million euros for Interporto Trieste. The company, whose investors are Friulia (finance company of FVG Region), Trieste Port Authority and duisport, has the task of developing the “logistics platform” of Friuli Venezia Giulia. In two tranches of 1 million and 3 million euros, the amount will be allocated to interventions in the company’s headquarters in Fernetti and the FREEeste area of Bagnoli della Rosandra where the former Wartsila warehouses are located. In particular, the interventions will concern the electrification of the Fernetti railway junction and the improvement of the truck yards in Fernetti. Other electrification works will be carried out in Bagnoli della Rosandra. In this area, the British American tobacco project, presented at the end of September by the Port Network Authority, will be realized. In the last few days, representatives of the company have met the top management of Interporto Trieste to continue with the preliminary steps before the areas for the production plants and the research centre are made available. The hub foresees 12 production lines on an area of 20 thousand square meters: electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products and others, while products for nicotine replacement therapy will be developed. According to the outline program presented a month ago, the first works for the facility should start by November. The company foresees a total investment, distributed over the next few years, of around 500 million euros. The number of jobs would be as many as 2600 including induced activities (about 600 direct jobs). The area where the plant will be built is under the international Free Port regime, even if it has not been explained how BAT intends to use it. Interporto di Trieste spa will provide logistic services for production, but other aspects of collaboration with the multinational company are also being hypothesized.