The project for the new Port of Torre del Greco is at a standstill. Why?

A degraded port area, dilapidated old shipyards, a shoreline abandoned to itself. This is the reality of the port of Torre del Greco (Campania) for whose redevelopment a state-of-the-art project is already ready. But which is in fact struggling to get off the ground.

In a country like Italy founded on the sea, at the center of the Mediterranean Sea and surrounded by more than 8,000 kilometers of coastline, marinas are a crucial and strategic hub not only for the spread of nautical tourism, but above all for the revitalization of the economy and the promotion of our territory.

Yet, despite the gradual increase in the number of berths and the construction of efficient, state-of-the-art facilities, such as Capo d’Orlando Marina, Marina d’Arechi, Cala dei Sardi, and Marina Cala de’ Medici to name but a few, there remain a number of critical issues holding back the sector: old and derelict facilities, expired concessions, and ineffective rail and road connections. Added to this are bureaucratic delays and overlapping competencies among supervisory bodies. Not to mention vested interests, speculative activities and construction squatting along the coast.

Marinas and marinas: complex and multifaceted animals

The losers are mostly boaters, and not only Italians, who instead of being somewhat encouraged in their passion for going to sea, are actually hindered by a port network full of holes and uncertainties. They struggle to find berths, fair prices and competent staff. So many flee abroad, or give up sailing altogether.

Unfortunately, it is the structure of a port itself that is complex. A multifaceted, large and unwieldy beast that hides within it technical, logistical, state-owned, archaeological, landscape, administrative and, last but not least, political aspects. Managing a port brings together so many voices, so many skills, so many interests, and often finding the balance is a titanic task. Not least because among all these heads in the game there is little and bad talk. Everyone travels alone and there is no real and effective teamwork.

The case of Torre del Greco, a project at a standstill

This is the case, for example, of the Port of Torre del Greco, in Campania, where a redevelopment project has been talked about for years. Indeed, not only has there been talk about it, a project is actually there, it is new, it is state-of-the-art and everyone likes it, boaters, citizens and institutions. Yet between technical studies, bureaucracy, second thoughts, and various tugs and pulls between the municipality and the region, it just sits there on a table, gathering mold. We talk about it with Giuseppe Fortuna, a native of Torre del Greco, but who has been living abroad in Spain for more than 15 years. Giuseppe is a passionate sailor, a shipowner, and above all an Engineer who has always had a special relationship with the port of his city, both as a sailor and as a professional. He is the one who reported this “stalemate” situation to us.

• Why would it be beneficial to redevelop the Port of Torre del Greco?

“About the redevelopment of this harbor I have been hearing about it for more than 20 years, both from citizens and from those who work on the sea and also from the institutions that have gradually succeeded each other in the various administrations. Updating this facility, upgrading it and expanding it with new berths and services meets a need not only of our city, but of a much larger pool of potential users. In fact, we are talking about an absolutely strategic landing place for nautical tourism in central Italy. We are exactly 15 miles from Capri and as many miles from Ischia and Procida, right in the center of the Gulf of Naples. The tourist marinas operating in this area are those of Salerno, Procida and Naples, objectively quite far from Torre del Greco.”

• Besides boaters, who currently uses the harbor?

“Torre del Greco is a seaside town that has also always been populated by fishermen. Here there is still an important fishing fleet that despite the difficulties of recent years somehow resists the crisis in the sector and works in all seasons. In addition, there is a shipbuilding reality, with several operators having their headquarters right inside the port. Moreover, the facility is located in the heart of the city center.”

• What does the city’s port look like to date?

In general, the port area is quite degraded. The basin is protected by a West Pier on which just under 10 piers insist, each given under concession and operated independently by as many operators. Incidentally, most of these concessions are about to expire or have even already expired. On the opposite side of the basin, on the other hand, are the headquarters of the Torre del Greco Nautical Club and the fishermen’s pier. And finally there is a stretch of shoreline, called the ‘Beach of the Front,’ which in theory would be very attractive, but which is now occupied by shipyard sheds, some in operation mainly for storage, others now closed, abandoned and dilapidated. Berths are currently few and limited: already mooring a 12-14 meter boat becomes difficult. That’s too bad, because the harbor depths guarantee 8-9 meters of draft.”

• What specifically does the new port project involve?

“The main idea is first of all to redevelop the whole harbor area. In particular the area of the shipyards. Here we would like to create a large ‘square by the sea,’ with restaurants, stores, gardens, parking lots, and livable spaces for all citizens. Then double the technical and operational space of the facility to increase both the number of berths and nautical services. The project also includes the construction of an auditorium to be used for events, concerts and performances. And then again we want to include new operational areas.”

• What would be the new spaces to be used?

“The new area to be redeveloped would be the one furthest to the south, currently occupied by a wall built in the 1970s to protect the adjacent Bourbon railway, which once reached as far as Portici and was later extended. The railroad basically cuts Torre del Greco in two, depriving it of its natural contact with the sea. Today the whole area is very degraded. There are railroad underpasses that access the sea, but they are dirty and abandoned. The beach over the years has been gradually eroded by the sea and as of today is not swimmable. The plan in this area is to build a new arm of the harbor to gain land from the sea, then proceed to bury it and move the headquarters of the shipyards still operating there.”

• What stage is the new port project at?

“The project, which moreover is very avant-garde and environmentally sustainable, has all the characteristics to obtain European funds from the PNRR and has been promoted by the City of Torre del Greco as early as 2021. It is the result of years of work and I myself albeit indirectly have had the opportunity to participate in its optimization. Even the President of the Campania Region, Vincenzo De Luca, publicly supported it. The project, preceded by a series of environmental and archaeological studies, has in fact already been approved by the City Council and in the latest version officially sent to the Region in October 2024. The regional body, however, has central management of all projects in the Campania region. And despite multiple attempts, the redevelopment of the port still remains in the queue with the citizens of Torre del Greco who thus risk losing a great opportunity. The final study of the project and the establishment of the tender for the contract are missing. Besides the management delays, in my opinion the real problem is the communication between the entities.”

• What are citizens and boaters saying about these delays and inconveniences?

“But you know, here we are all a bit children of the Neapolitan culture devoted, as is well known, to resignation and the philosophy of “adda passà a nuttata….” It’s too bad, though, because the city of Naples itself has undergone tremendous redevelopment in recent years, has become objectively much more beautiful and attracts if possible even more tourists than in the past. So today the citizens of Campania are even more aware that it is possible to work well and redevelop our territory, at sea as well as along the coast. It should be the institutions that get active in time and set the new course.”

Many isolated cases in Italy, but with common problems

That of the Port of Torre del Greco is just one of the many critical situations in Italy today. Other harbors and tourist marinas, affected by critical issues, inconveniences and missed renovation projects are those of Civitavecchia, Formia, Anzio, but also Otranto, Marsala, Talamone, just to name a few examples. Each has its own history, specific problems and management. And too often government agencies remain helpless.

And that is precisely the difficulty. What is missing is a coordinated strategic vision and integrated work at the administrative level that unites innovation, sustainability and training throughout Italy. Only in this way will it be possible to guarantee Italian ports the role of strategic ports of call for nautical tourism and the national economy. And to Mediterranean sailors, both Italian and foreign, the nautical welcome they deserve.

D.I.