PORT OF TARANTO, 28 JANUARY 2026 –The Port of Taranto consolidates its role as a global strategic hub for renewable energy. On 26 January, the Port Network Authority of the Ionian Sea hosted a Japanese business delegation led by the FLOWRA (Floating Offshore Wind Research Association) organisation.
This is an event of international significance: the Japanese organisation, which brings together 21 of Japan's leading energy players, chose the Ionian port as the opening stop on its institutional tour of Italy.
FLOWRA's visit stems from the consolidation of international relations initiated by AdSPMI during the OEEC event in Amsterdam, as part of a series of B2B discussions with companies operating in the offshore wind sector from around the world, including SAITEC, represented by Immanuel Capano, Chief Commercial Officer, with whom the Authority coordinated the organisation of the incoming mission. The Japanese association is committed to the development of common basic technologies for floating offshore wind power and maintains bilateral relations with the main European entities leading scientific and technological cooperation and solutions.
The day began with a fruitful matchmaking meeting at the Authority's headquarters, attended by local companies, institutional representatives from the Puglia Region and strategic partners such as AERO and GSE (Energy Services Manager).
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The delegation then had the opportunity to see the Ionian cluster in action by visiting the Vestas Blades factory and the Renexia Beleolico plant, the first offshore wind farm in the Mediterranean. During the meeting, the Port Authority's top management illustrated the main infrastructure projects currently underway, aimed at establishing Taranto as the national hub for floating offshore wind power.
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"The visit by the FLOWRA delegation is a key opportunity to forge new international relations," commented AdSPMI President Giovanni Gugliotti. "Taranto is attracting growing interest from the world's leading energy players. It is an opportunity that the region must seize with determination, especially in light of the start of the process of allocating the financial resources allocated by MASE with Interministerial Decree No. 167 of 4 July 2025."
“We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the warm welcome we received during our visit to Taranto. This visit has reaffirmed the geopolitical significance of Taranto Port, as well as its high level of functionality. - commented Masakatsu Terazaki, President of FLOWRA - We gained valuable insights into the industries attracted by this functionality, such as shipbuilding and renewable energy, as well as the close collaboration between port authorities and private enterprises. These observations will be instrumental in advancing port functionality and industrial clustering in Japan. Italy and Japan both have a national character that cherishes the sea, and we believe that we also share a common mindset in our desire to utilise it. We anticipate that this visit will serve as a catalyst for deepening cooperation between Taranto stakeholders, as well as between Italy and Japan: this includes the technological development of floating offshore wind power, which is set to become fully operational, as well as the future direction of port functions and the formation of a supply chain for floating structures.”
The interest shown by the Japanese mission confirms the attractiveness of the Ionian port, which has also been reinforced by recent regulatory developments in the field of Floating Offshore Wind. The meeting marks a further step forward in the internationalisation strategy of the Ionian Sea Port Authority, projecting the port towards a future of sustainable development, technological innovation and centrality in green energy routes.