The evaluation commission appointed by the Supervisory Authority Port System of the Ionian Sea to examine the two applications received for the consent in concession of the compendium "Piastre Port of Taranto" selected the proposal formulated by Vestas Blades Italia Srl, as - explains the decree of the Port Authority - "offers greater guarantees of profitability use of the concession and proposes to make use of it for a use that, in the opinion of the administration, responds to a more significant public interest".

The Taranto-based Vestas Blades Italia, a company with capital of 21.4 million euros, which is entirely controlled by the Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas, requested the concession of the area of a total of 132 thousand square meters with a proposal that - specifies Decree No. 81 of the Port Authority - "is characterized by concrete profiles with a sustainability plan valuable from social, environmental and economic aspects. The company holds an immediate start-up business with significant investments to upgrade existing infrastructures and with any positive effect on the allied industries. He expressed the concrete desire to divert to the port of Taranto the import of components useful for the production cycle that, at the moment, are concentrated elsewhere. It is The intention of the company is evident - the decree further specifies - to consolidate an important organizational and managerial structure with a significant financial commitment aimed at the development of production and logistics activities in the port of Taranto bringing benefits for the territory in terms of socio-economic-occupational level. The initiative is absolutely consistent and in line with the strategic objectives of the Port Authority and the port of Taranto projected towards the development of hubs for the production of offshore wind power and related components".

The evaluation committee also examined the proposal sent by ITPL Logistics Srl, a newco established at the end of the last March, with a share capital of 10 thousand euros, to develop and manage - the decree states - "the activities of international logistics in Italy, with operational headquarters in Taranto and with the majority shareholder who from the data provided is "inactive"». The act of the Port Authority explains that "the ITPL has presented a project which would use the existing state-owned compendium in the state in which it finds itself without implementing investments in existing infrastructures and therefore without the development of related industries; that providing for a traffic plan limited in volumes and not guaranteed the economic and financial capacity of the company. The company declares, in fact, a potential traffic of 18,000 TEU/year from March 2025 (of which 75% by sea and remaining on rail and road) and provides for a "second phase" to be able to "at least double this volume". Ago reference to MoU from which he hopes that "a increase in the volumes indicated by about 10%". Although they are good relations between the major society shareholder and other important Polish and international projects, no concrete project was provided in able to guarantee the profitable use of the maritime state. On this point, it is also relevant that ITPL could develop the proposed business, bearing only variable costs and not the fixed costs of the concession, at the Multi-sector Pier which is already equipped - with handling equipment infrastructured with operational railway tracks, organized with qualified and ZFD equipped personnel - for the type and volumes of work/movements proposed".

The decree also recalls that the Port Authority has "rejected the competing application submitted by Tecnomec Engineering Srl in date 05.04.2024 because it is incomplete and not integrated into the deadline assigned, confirming its inadmissibility with sheet no. 12269 of 20.05.2024". Furthermore, the act recalls that "the Tecnomec Engineering Srl appealed before the General Court Regional Administrative Committee of Puglia - Lecce, the measures to by means of which the Port Authority declared the application inadmissible submitted by the company itself in order to obtain its annulment after granting precautionary protection; the Puglia-Lecce Regional Administrative Court, with order no. 475/2024 reg. prov. Cau. published on 12.07.2024, rejected the request for suspension enforcement of the contested measures for the reasons therein Indicated; On 23.07.2024, Tecnomec appealed to the Council of State against the above-mentioned order; The room of council has been set for 03.09.2024".