The ferries will no longer be moored at the central pier or along the eastern breakwater
The Eastern Sicily Sea Port System Authority has announced the activation, through the signing of four area concessions, of the procedural agreement that will allow the reorganization of the operational areas of the port of Catania with the aim of enhancing its role as a hub for ro-ro cargo.
A 25-year concession has been granted to Grimaldi Marangolo Terminal Catania Srl and concerns a port area with a total surface area of 103,029.00 square meters located at the New Commercial Dock of the port, of which approximately 93,000 square meters is open space and an area to be used for a multi-story parking lot with a total surface area of approximately 10,000 square meters. The planned activity is that of ro-ro and ro-pax traffic.
A second ten-year concession to EST Europea Servizi Terminalistici Srl concerns an area of 34,933 square meters located at berths 8 and 9 – Molo Crispi, also intended for ro-ro and ro-pax traffic. According to the forecasts of the new Port Master Plan, a large part of this area will subsequently be destined for boating functions to be implemented upon completion of the necessary infrastructural works.
A third four-year concession to Marimport Srl, a company that provides port services to support ro-ro and ro-pax traffic generated by ships of the Grimaldi group, relates to an area of 2,865 square meters, partly located at the new commercial dock and partly at Molo Crispi. The authorized operational activity is that of logistical support, storage and handling of vehicles for embarkation and disembarkation, temporary customs warehouse, management and handling of containers related to ro-ro traffic.
Finally, a four-year concession granted to F.lli Bordieri Srl concerns an area of 2,750 square meters located at the new commercial dock of the port of Catania, which will be used for the storage of cars destined for /disembarkation. The company handles the storage and distribution of new and used vehicles throughout Italy.
The Sicilian port authority specified that in terms of private investments, the granted concessions will bring over 20 million euros in civil works, machinery, equipment and personnel, as well as financial commitments for further hiring and operational programs aimed at growing overall traffic, while the fees related to the four concessions will bring a total annual revenue for the authority of 1.75 million euros.
The AdSP highlighted that this reorganization of the port areas marks a first concrete step towards the implementation of the Port Master Plan of Catania, as the ferry ships will no longer be moored at the central pier or along the eastern breakwater, allowing the opening of the port to the city.
