Public Money for Short Sea Fleet Renewal in Italy from the Recovery Plan

By | 2020 Newsletter week 50 | No Comments

A first draft copy of the Recovery Plan, which is ‘under construction’ and emerged earlier this week, revealed that some financial resources will be bound directly to the fleet renewal for ferries and more in general vessels deployed on the short sea routes in Italy.

Mainly those active on the routes with the small islands, in the Gulf of Naples (photo), in Sicily and also those deployed in the city of Venice.

The ro-pax fleet renovation is part of a series of measures aimed at modernizing and making shipping and transport more efficient in Italy. Cold ironing systems in the ports, railcars and trucks will also receive some funds under the same program.

“This plan has two main goals. The first is to boost the production and use of modern, environmentally sustainable ships, with relevant positive effects in terms of job creation and mobility” recently commented Vincenzo Petrone, chairman of shipbuilders’ association Assonave. “The second goal is to make up the deficit of investments needed to accelerate the ‘green’ transition of European ships to account for the challenging environmental protection objectives that Europe intends to achieve by 2030”.