Blue Innovation

Planning, Sustainability and Investments in the Ports of Eastern Sicily

Catania
Biblioteche Riunite “Civica e A. Ursino Recupero”, Via Biblioteca 13
February 20, 2026

Watch the Event Recording

Explore the Forum Program

09:00 | Registration Opens

09:30 | Opening Remarks and Institutional Greetings
Luca Sammartino, Vice President, Region of Sicily
Enrico Trantino, Mayor, City of Catania
Giuseppe Di Mare, Mayor, City of Augusta
Francesco Italia, Mayor, City of Syracuse
Raffaele Monte, Deputy Mayor, City of Pozzallo
Raffaele Macauda, Admiral, Port Commander

10:00 | Opening Keynote
Hon. Nello Musumeci, Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies

10:05 | Interview 1.1
Francesco Di Sarcina, President, Port System Authority of the Eastern Sicilian Sea
Interviewer: Francesco Ferrari and Simone Gallotti, Il Secolo XIX

10:20 | Roundtable: “Trade and Geopolitics: Sicily at the Heart of the Mediterranean”
Moderators: Francesco Ferrari and Simone Gallotti, Il Secolo XIX
Ruggero Razza, Member of the European Parliament, Fratelli d’Italia
Dafne Musolino, Vice President, Italia Viva Group
Antonio Nicita, Senator of the Italian Republic, Democratic Party

11:00 | Speech
Brigida Morsellino, Principal, Technical Nautical Institute “Duca degli Abruzzi” of Catania

11:10 | SESSION I: “Beyond the Horizon: From Global Logistics to Renewable Energy”
Moderators: Francesco Ferrari and Simone Gallotti, Il Secolo XIX
Fulvio Mamone Capria, President, AERO (Offshore Renewable Energy Association)
Enrico Foti, Rector, University of Catania
Walter Venniro, Managing Director, SER.M.I. Terminal Containers
Marina Noè, President, Assoporto Augusta
Mario Di Martino, Chairman of the Board, F.lli Di Martino S.p.A.

12:00 | Interview 1.2
Interviewer: Domenico Ciancio Sanfilippo, President, Publishing and Communication Section, Confindustria Catania
Gaetano Vecchio, Past President, Confindustria Sicilia

12:10 | Financial Services for the Blue Economy
Valerio Valzelli, Head of Corporate Territory Calabria and Sicily, BPER Banca

12:15 | SESSION II: “The Hospitality Hub: Routes, Connections and New Frontiers in Passenger Transport”
Moderator: Domenico Ciancio Sanfilippo
Francesco Diana, President, Confcommercio Siracusa
Nico Torrisi, Chief Executive Officer, SAC
Vincenzo Franza, CEO, Caronte & Tourist
William Munzone, CEO, MSC Sicily

13:00 | Closing Remarks

13:30 | Networking Light Lunch

Catania at the Center of the Blue Economy Dialogue

The Blue Economy Roadshow made a stop in the city of Catania, at the “Civica e A. Ursino Recupero” Libraries.

The meeting highlighted the strategic importance of the ports of Eastern Sicily within the Mediterranean and underscored the need for infrastructure planning aligned with the evolving dynamics of international trade and maritime traffic.

The discussion emphasized the importance of strengthening integration between the port system, inland ports, and the terrestrial logistics network, alongside a concrete commitment to environmental sustainability and energy innovation. Ports were described as increasingly multifunctional hubs, capable of combining commercial traffic, tourism, and cruise activities.

Particular attention was also given to investment attractiveness, with a focus on administrative simplification, regulatory certainty, and public-private collaboration. Within this framework, the Blue Economy was recognized as a key driver of development, capable of generating growth, skilled employment, and new opportunities for the territory.