Agreement with Sicilian SEZs to boost maritime economy

Intesa Sanpaolo has signed an agreement with the Extraordinary Commissioners of Sicily's Special Economic Zones for the revitalisation of the maritime economy that includes:

• support for sustainable investments by small- and medium-sized enterprises operating in regional SEZs
• reshoring activities
• individual and supply chain business development programmes
• training courses dedicated to the management of companies active in the area
• initiatives with high economic and social impact that can attract investors.

The protocol signed in support of the development of port activity and the related economy will also have a relevant positive impact on the island's inland areas.

As part of the agreement, Intesa Sanpaolo will also provide businesses with access to Incent Now a free digital platform dedicated to the opportunities offered by calls promoted by national and European institutional bodies as part of the NRRP planning.

Intesa Sanpaolo has been involved in the enhancement of SEZs in southern Italy since 2017: it has set up a credit facility of €1.5 billion for new investments, promoted them to international investors with specific missions abroad and launched a specialized desk offering technical and financial advisory services.

According to an analysis by Srm – a research centre linked to Intesa Sanpaolo – Sicily's ports rank second (after Liguria) in Italy and first in Southern Italy in port handling. In 2021 Sicily handled more than 66 million tons of goods, accounting for 14% of the Italian total. The sea plays a strategic role in Sicilian trade: in fact, the island's maritime import-export business accounts for 88% of its total turnover with foreign countries, compared to 36% for all Italy.