The attention of international trading these days it is focused on terrorist attacks Houthi ships that pass through Red Sea.
Political and military diplomacy seems to have suddenly discovered the importance of maritime traffic which, on the contrary, has never failed to serve as a major regulator of the world economy. Without the ships that transport containers from one part of the world to another, the globalized economy would not exist. The sea is everything or almost everything, and the new Yemeni pirates are not foolish.
The Mediterranean is now within the perimeter of strict military surveillance of the Western powers for everything that arrives at the factories or at home through the Suez Canal. The next few days promise to be very dark in relation to what is happening in Gaza.
In this extraordinary risk of millions of dollars and goods to reach their destination without any country, industry or insurance company losing out, we find the Italian port of Gioia Tauro.
It is a strategic port where the MSC company has been hyperactive for years and which yesterday reached the record of 3 million and 500 thousand containers moved. A fact that confirms the strength of the shipowners who essentially manage the merchant ports. Europe has also understood this and is asking for money for the smoke trails of the ships.
The Calabrian port has, in fact, an open account with the EU for environmental issues. Sooner or later it will have to have a solution to respect community rules and give meaning to the money spent.
Italian ports are all interested in growing and competing with international decisions and more or less have chosen the green cause. It doesn't have to be a slogan, but reality applied to business.
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From an infrastructural point of view, Gioia Tauro is large but not well equipped to receive very large container ships. Fortunately for those who work there, for the Mediterranean and for the Italian economy, the Superior Council of Public Works authorized marine deepening works along the docks a few days ago. An authorization that gives confidence, if you consider that only two months ago everyone feared it complete closure of the airport. A kind of Ilva 2 for environmental aspects. It has happened that Europe is asking for the adaptation of the limits of atmospheric emissions of ships and of the entire port starting from 2030. The shipowners who immediately contested the directive and still maintain the point with a chain of solidarity from unions up to the Ministry of the Environment
For now the danger has escaped, but it will return, especially when larger tonnage ships arrive here and consequently have a strong impact on the environment.
Gioia Tauro is preparing to act as a catalyst for Asian goods, it will have seabeds up to 18 metres of depth and docks from 450 to over 700 meters long. A more competitive transhipment to become the southern gateway to Europe? Okay, it's an Italian economic and entrepreneurial challenge. However, there is only one Europe, the same one that does not want ports to continue polluting. It's time to prepare for wise conclusions.
