The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a loan of EUR 195 million to support the upgrade of the Italian Ports of Rome and Lazio as per the Port Authority’s multi-year investment plan. The approved loan will cover the financing of the extension of the Port of Civitavecchia, about 60 km north-west of Rome, and the construction of a new seaport for freights and passengers in Fiumicino, 20 km west of the capital.
Namely, EIB’s loan, that was given for the ports’ upgrade, is similar to approximately 40% of the local port Authority’s multi-year investment plan.
The Ports of Civitavecchia and Fiumicino are a major spot for passenger and freight flow in Central Italy. They are called ‘ Motorway of the Sea of the South-West Europe Trans-European Transport Network Corridor’ because they are in Central Italy. Both of the ports are a of a great importance to the connection between Italy and the Mediterranean regions of Sicily and Sardinia, Southern France and North Africa.
Specifically, Dario Scannapieco, EIB’s Vice-President, and Francesco Maria di Majo, the President of the Port Authority, signed the first part of the loan, which is 50m out of the total 195m that EIB financed in Rome.
Moreover, the investment includes:
- The extension of the outer breakwater, dredging works, development of a new basin for short-sea shipping, nautical port services and construction of a new road access to the port, in Civitavecchia, Access North;
- The construction of two new breakwaters, dredging works for the new basin, construction of a multi-purpose berth for both Ro-Ro and fishing vessels, in Fiumicino.
As Francesco Maria di Majo, President of the ADSP, stated, the system of the Ports of Rome and Lazio will be able to fulfil the long-awaited “qualitative leap” in the world shipping scene.
Finally, since 2008, the EIB has lent EUR 7.3bn to 54 projects related to European ports.
