SRM presents the 2023 "Italian Maritime Economy" Report
SRM – Research Center for Economic Studies related to Intesa Sanpaolo Banking Group – presented its 10th Annual "Italian Maritime Economy" Report focusing on Ports, Shipping and Logistics at the Centre of the New Mediterranean Scenarios. The document encompasses 10 years of analysis, data and reflections on the sector's competitiveness and Italy's role.
In his speech at the presentation of the Report, Chairman Gian Maria Gros-Pietro commented:
"The maritime economy is crucial to the future of Italy and Europe. The sector accounts for 9% of Italian GDP, 12% of European GDP and – in terms of international trade – 85-90% of total world trade volumes. Italian ports alone – in a year as deeply shaped by exceptional events as 2022 – moved half a billion tonnes of goods, over 60 million passengers and €380 billion in import-export."
"A few numbers are thus enough to see how much of a true economic asset the sector is: a driver that shifts geopolitical and economic balances, often influencing a country's development and competitiveness trends."
"Intesa Sanpaolo – the only Italian bank to have a specialised study centre on these issues – can thus provide support to sector operators, while also bringing foresight to its operational decisions. We support SEZs, for which we have made available financing of €5 billion for investments, and their success is intrinsically linked to port development."
Gian Maria Gros-Pietro, Chairman of Intesa Sanpaolo
The Report highlights how, against the backdrop of growing global maritime trade, the Mediterranean is further strengthening its central geo-economic role: the war and pandemic have changed and shortened supply chains, leading to a regionalisation of shipping, and the new challenge for Italian ports is to become energy transition hubs, integrated with production areas.
Some highlights from the 2023 Italian Maritime Economy Report:
- Maritime commerce remains the backbone of international trade
Despite the challenges of the global economy, the growth prospects for global maritime trade remain positive and once again point to the resilience of the sector. Global maritime trade is expected to increase by 1.8% to 12.2 billion tonnes in 2023 and then grow by 3.1% by 2024.
- The geography of production
The war and pandemic are changing and shortening supply chains. Globalisation is now in a phase of regionalisation: growth of intra-regional routes by 5.6% in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, compared to the reduction of deep-sea East-West routes by 3%, confirms the trend of regionalisation of shipping, which follows the trend of regionalisation of production.
- Mediterranean further strengthens its central geo-economic role
From 2001 to 2022, container traffic between Europe and Asia (passing through the Suez Canal) grew at an average annual rate of 4.4%; Mediterranean ports are improving their competitiveness and attractiveness
- The challenges of sustainability and digitalisation
The sector is making significant efforts in the direction of decarbonisation, although the choice of the alternative fuel of the future is not yet decided.
Of the fleet at sea, 5.5% of vessels are capable of using alternative fuels or propulsion.
Another essential tool for achieving sustainability goals is the digitalisation of the sector, to optimise savings and improve time and quality.
- Ten years of the Italian maritime system: from transit area to Euro-Mediterranean hub
The new challenge for Italian ports is to become energy transition hubs, integrated with production areas.
It is estimated that it will take 5 years to make Italy a Mediterranean natural gas transit hub through seven regasifiers near ports and five gas pipelines.
- Ports in Southern Italy remain strategic levers for local growth
The figures for 2022 mark "a confirmation of southern ports", which remained at the top of rankings for various types of goods: Cagliari, Augusta and Milazzo were 2nd, 3rd and 4th ports in Italy, respectively, in the energy segment, Taranto was 2nd in dry cargo and general cargo, Brindisi was 4th in dry cargo, Salerno and Catania were 4th and 5th for Ro-Ro, and Gioia Tauro. With its performance in the container segment, the latter was 1st in Italy, keeping the country's numbers high.
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Last updated 14 July 2023 at 14:15:00
