LONDON – The theme of cold ironing in Italian ports lands in London and captures the attention not only of the international maritime cluster, but also of institutional investors and financial funds interested in the economic and infrastructural prospects linked to the electrification of quays.
This was the common thread of the workshop “Cold ironing, powering the ports of the future”, hosted at the Italian Embassy in the United Kingdom and organized in collaboration with Aon S.p.A. / Aon Re and the law firm ADVANT Nctm.
The initiative brought together representatives of the maritime sector, delegates at the IMO from various countries, insurers and investment funds specialized in infrastructure, with a discussion focused on the development of shore power, the technical and regulatory challenges of port electrification and the management of related risks.
Particular attention was dedicated to investment opportunities, risk allocation models and insurance solutions necessary to support a complex energy transition that is now central to European port strategies.
After the welcome from Embassy Counselor Umberto Bernardo, who conveyed the greetings of Ambassador Fabio Cassese, and the introductions by Andrea Parisi and Pietro Toffanello, respectively CEOs of Aon Italia and Aon Reinsurance Italia, Benedetta Scotti, manager of the General Directorate for Ports, Logistics and Intermodality of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, spoke, illustrating the national project for quay electrification.
During the workshop, presentations followed from Alberto Rossi, coordinator of the Shipping Department of ADVANT-Nctm and secretary general of Assarmatori, Giorgio Moroni of Aon S.p.A. and Riccardo Barelli of Aon Re.
Moderation was entrusted to Giuseppe Spera, Deputy Permanent Representative of Italy to the IMO, who emphasized how “the evolution of ports into energy hubs opens up important investment opportunities, while requiring substantial capital and close cooperation between port authorities, shipowners and energy suppliers against the backdrop of European policy initiatives and the IMO’s climate agenda, the success of port electrification represents both a challenge and a strategic opportunity. Its realization depends on the combination of solid regulatory support, capital investments, technological innovation and effective risk management”.
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On the legal and insurance front, Alberto Rossi intervened, highlighting how the construction of effective infrastructure must necessarily integrate an accurate assessment of regulatory and risk profiles. “Effective infrastructure development must necessarily take into account legal and insurance aspects, first and foremost to avoid risks related to so-called climate litigation. What would happen, in fact, if the shipowner, whose vessel is equipped with the ‘plug’, could not supply itself with energy from shore due to the lack or malfunction of the system? Who would be responsible? The regulatory framework is broad and unfortunately not always unambiguous; moreover, we are talking about a novelty, in which Italy has been able to act with foresight and with a significant investment.”
Discutere di questi aspetti, e di quelli assicurativi, significa mettere i potenziali investitori in un’ottica di maggiore consapevolezza, aiutando quindi lo sviluppo del sistema-Paese”.
Sul versante assicurativo, Giorgio Moroni di Aon S.p.A. ha posto l’attenzione sui nuovi rischi operativi legati all’elettrificazione delle banchine. “Con la diffusione sistematica e concentrata dei sistemi di shore power, assume un’importanza sempre maggiore la gestione dei rischi operativi connessi all’allaccio delle navi alle reti elettriche terrestri ad alta tensione, tra cui malfunzionamenti delle apparecchiature, picchi di tensione e potenziali incendi. Ci siamo occupati di individuare le necessarie integrazioni e gli emendamenti alle coperture di responsabilità oggi disponibili per coprire nuovi potenziali rischi, senza che vi sia il supporto di dati ed esperienze statistiche”.
Infine, Riccardo Barelli di Aon Reinsurance ha evidenziato il ruolo centrale del mercato assicurativo nel sostenere lo sviluppo del settore. “Ci siamo molto focalizzati sulla ricerca di capacità assicurativa da parte di vari mercati per far fronte alla verosimile richiesta di massimali importanti per le polizze di responsabilità dei concessionari. Il settore assicurativo riveste infatti un ruolo centrale, quello di garantire la compatibilità del nuovo sistema sotto ogni profilo, tutelando tutti gli operatori dalle perdite economiche e consolidando la fiducia nella sicurezza e nell’efficacia del cold ironing”.
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