The European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, visited the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, one of the group’s main production sites and a strategic hub for European shipbuilding. A note explains that the visit was an opportunity to illustrate the group’s industrial capabilities, the distinctive skills in building ships of high technological complexity, and the commitment to a sustainable and digital transition of the maritime sector. The Commissioner was able to learn more about the excellence of the site, an international benchmark for quality, innovation, and production efficiency.
The meeting was attended by the CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri, Pierroberto Folgiero, the General Manager of the Merchant Ships Division, Luigi Matarazzo, and Davide Cucino, SVP EU & NATO Affairs. The visit’s agenda included a meeting with Marine Interiors and Fincantieri Ingenium, followed by a focus on the shipyard presented by the director Cristiano Bazzara. The delegation then visited the production areas and a ship under construction, also stopping to speak with the workforce, confirming the central role of people in the sector’s competitiveness.
During the meeting, the need to further strengthen the competitiveness of European shipbuilding emerged, consolidating its leadership in high value-added ships and recovering strategic segments, in response to Asian competition. The dual dimension of the industry, fundamental for European defense and security, was also reiterated, with particular attention to the underwater domain and the protection of critical infrastructure. The role of innovation in the sustainable and digital transition was also central, with a focus on decarbonization technologies – including long-term solutions such as hydrogen and nuclear – and on digital initiatives. All these themes represent pillars of the future EU Maritime Industrial Strategy expected in 2026.
Folgiero stated: “Welcoming Commissioner Tzitzikostas to our Monfalcone shipyard is a recognition of the role that Fincantieri plays for the entire European shipbuilding industry and for the revival of the maritime economy in our continent. The visit allowed us to share our priorities: strengthening Europe’s industrial competitiveness, investing in innovation, digitalization and decarbonization – also through long-term technologies – and recovering strategic market segments. These are key themes of the future EU Maritime Industrial Strategy, to which we are ready to contribute with the strength of our supply chain and our expertise.”
Commissioner Tzitzikostas added: “It was truly stimulating to visit the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone. It is impressive what our maritime industry in Europe is capable of, despite the challenges it is facing. In the next EU Maritime Industrial Strategy, which I will present at the beginning of 2026, the European Commission will define actions to strengthen the competitiveness, resilience, innovation, and technological leadership of the sector.”
The Monfalcone shipyard, founded in 1908 by the Cosulich brothers, is the production heart of Fincantieri for next-generation cruise ships and the largest in the group, with a supply chain involving 600 companies in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, over 23,000 workers, and more than 40 units delivered since 1990. In recent years, the site has benefited from significant investments in infrastructure, safety, and people’s well-being, and is at the center of an innovation path introducing robotics, digital twin, real-time tracking, physical AI, augmented reality, and additive manufacturing, confirming it as an international benchmark for quality, efficiency, and sustainability.
