The port of La Spezia signs with the terminalist LSCT a long-lasting development pact

An investment plan, of the total value of 232 million euros, which was presented and then detailed by Thomas H. Eckelmann, chairman of LSCT as well as chairman of the Eurogate group that owns 33.4% percent of Contship Italia and president of Eurokai, who in turn holds the remaining 66.6% percent of Contship Italia and 50% percent of Eurogate, by Cecilia Eckelmann Battistello, president of Contship Italia, by Alfredo Scalisi, CEO of LSCT, and by Walter Cardaci, director general of LSCT.

Of the 232 million, the largest portion-220 million (110 for civil works and 110 for the equipment)-will be earmarked for the extension of the terminal Angelo Rwere operated by LSCT, which is the main terminalist of the Ligurian port by extending its own also activity at the pier Garibaldi, at the pier Fornelli, in Calata Paita, slated Artom and Calata Malapina. With the expansion, a new 524-meter platform will be built on the Canaletto Navy capable of welcoming container ships from more than 24,000 teu, which is the largest capacity of the ships currently in service. With pride in some stages in the history of Contship Italia and LSCT, Cecilia Eckelmann Battistello specified that the realization of benches to which ships of more than 24,000 teu can be approved is indispensable for ensuring a future at the port.

Among other investments, five million will be earmarked for automation, but the purchase of means with five new cranes of quays that will equip the terminal, which will be equipped with more than 16 automated placing cranes controlled by remote, while for the railway part, the purchase of four other cranes is also planned in the prospect of greater use (up to 50%) of the railway.

Infrastructure investment will cover, in addition to the expansion of the RTE terminal, the internal rationalization of the LSCT terminal, with the realization of the new electric cabin of the pier Fornelli ; the facilities for the expansion of the activities on the Rthey pier and the realization of the new access gate at the terminal ; the automation of the LSCT terminal, with the realization of the automation of the terminal access to the terminal and the upgrade of the Terminal Operating System (TOS). Italy's Counship said that, considering other new investments to be made and those already made since 2012, the total planned investment of the company's plan was 277 million euros.

According to the forecasts, the first phase of the new quay will be ready at the end of 2024 and the completion of the project will happen in 2025. With the work, in ten years the annual capacity of containerized traffic will rise from the current 1.2 million teu to 1.865 million teu (2032).

Summary pointed out that the agreement is important not only because it offers a certain perspective to the future of the container terminal and renews a long-lasting pact with shared investments, but it is also under the employment profile by contending commitments to both direct and indirect personnel. From the 595 units employed in 2021, an increase in direct employees will be increased to around 694 to the completion of the works, starting in 2026, while the complex of indirect and induced employees will go from the current 2,256 units to about 2,900 units to the regime of the increase in traffic volumes, starting in 2033. The employment plan, takes into account a new model of work organisation that envisages, in the areas of new realization, the "semi-automation" of the handling activities, requiring the employment of operational and manutentive personnel more specialized in the meccatronic area

LSCT's new business plan also provides for the realization of possible other works of rationalization and infrastructural expansion, in particular the realization of the new railway pole on the Garibaldi pier ; the rationalization of the areas of the Fornelli terminal ; the expansion of the pier Garibaldi east side. All investments whose consistency will be able to vary according to the evolution of the market. In addition, the same, will be able to be redefined temporally and dimensionally by December 31, 2032. LSCT will therefore be able to submit an instance of variation in extension of its own concessionary title, aimed at requiring the AdSP to transpose the relevant update of the business plan and assess its possible impact on the duration of the concession.