TARANTO, 25 MARCH 2026 - Today saw the formalisation of an institutional partnership of exceptional importance for the revitalisation of the region’s ecosystem and productive capacity. The Special Commissioner for urgent remediation, environmental restoration and regeneration of the Taranto area, Prof. Vito Felice Uricchio, and the Ionian Sea Port System Authority (AdSPMI), represented by its Chairman, Mr. Giovanni Francesco Gugliotti, have signed an agreement pursuant to Article 15 of Italian Law 241/1990.
The collaborative framework for the Taranto SIN (Sito di Interesse Nazionale - Site of National Interest) stems from the need to manage, with the utmost scientific rigour and administrative efficiency, the complex operations of site demarcation, remediation and safety measures for areas within the port site, working in close synergy and collaboration with MASE, the body responsible for the CIS (Contratto Istituzionale di Sviluppo - Institutional Development Contract), ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale - Italy's Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), the Puglia Region, ARPA Puglia, the Harbour Master’s Office and the Municipality of Taranto.
“The recent institutional endorsement of the plan to remove the Mar Grande Site of National Interest in Taranto from the list of contaminated sites - carried out in accordance with the latest technical and scientific evidence - forms, together with a thorough and systematic programme of remediation and safety measures, the cornerstone upon which the structural revitalisation of the Ionian port rests”, said Commissioner Uricchio. “This process, by facilitating the necessary dredging and deepening of the seabed, is an essential prerequisite for accommodating large-capacity vessels, and represents a key strategic lever for the revitalisation and expansion of the Taranto hub. These initiatives act as a powerful catalyst for attracting international capital, encouraging the establishment of new global logistics operators who will find in this port a state-of-the-art, well-maintained infrastructure that is fully integrated into the Mediterranean’s main value chains”.
“The agreement reached represents a crucial step for the future of the port and the entire Taranto area. The gradual removal of parts of the Mar Grande from the Site of National Interest, coupled with the completion of environmental remediation work, finally opens up new prospects for sustainable development in the port areas”, said Chairman Gugliotti. “We believe that coordinated action between institutions is essential in order to combine environmental protection, urban regeneration and economic growth. The agreement reached demonstrates that, when institutions at all levels work together, it is possible to overcome long-standing challenges and restore strategic infrastructure such as the port of Taranto to full functionality.”
From an operational perspective, the agreement commits the signatories to systematic coordination in the planning of regeneration projects in port areas, whilst ensuring strict consistency between the regeneration programmes and the Sea Port System Authority’s own urban and functional planning tools. This institutional synergy is achieved through the constant sharing of data, information flows and technical documentation, an approach designed to optimise the use of available human and financial resources. Another key aspect of the partnership lies in the ability to prevent and avoid any potential disruption between construction site activities and the airport’s day-to-day operations, thereby safeguarding the region’s economic stability. The strategic vision of the agreement looks towards a forward-looking development horizon based on the principles of the Green and Blue Economies. The partnership aims, in fact, to establish the Port of Taranto as a logistics hub of Mediterranean significance, capable of attracting investment and generating positive externalities through a diversification of production that promotes industrial resilience and boosts employment across the entire Ionian region. To ensure that these ambitious commitments are effectively implemented, the agreement establishes a governance structure comprising dedicated joint bodies. A Technical Coordination Committee is to be established, comprising at least five experts from each Party, with the task of monitoring and resolving any emerging issues, supported by Joint Working Groups responsible for the analysis and planning phases of the interventions. The practical implementation of the activities will be governed by detailed Technical-Operational Agreements, designed to set out in detail the timetables and financial obligations. The entire collaborative framework will remain in place for the duration of the Extraordinary Commissioner’s term of office, serving as a flexible and dynamic tool to support a region that is asserting its right to sustainable development.
Current boundaries of the Site of National Interest of Taranto (Italian Decree 449 of 20 December 2024)
Location of the three macro-areas into which the Site of National Interest of Taranto Seas has been divided, which is the subject of this project