The role of port authorities in the promotion of logistics integration between ports and the railway system: the Italian experience

This paper aims at deepening the knowledge about the traits and characteristics of the evolution of the intermodality quest in Italy by carrying on two distinct as well as correlated benchmark analyses. The first is performed on the approaches resulting by the Port Authorities (PAs) of Centre-Northern Italy and the second on the schemes adopted by the PAs of Southern Italy. The context of the analysis is characterized by the growing power of alliances, the vast diffusion of Ultra-Large Container Vessels both in container and Ro/Ro markets and the need for port systems to act in a logic of transport integration and sustainability. PAs of Center-Northern Italy have developed an active role in the transition to intermodality, promoting the participation in railways companies, focusing on the digitalization and integration with hinterlands. We show that the role of these PAs has proved fundamental in the acceleration of the process and there are various best practices that could be replicated in other contexts. PAs of Southern Italy's role, instead, is being hampered by the lack of suitable infrastructures, therefore their role has a different nature than in Center-Northern Italy. Southern Italy's PAs are also at the heart of various policies of fiscal incentives promoted by local and national governments, e.g. Special Economic Zones and Logistics Integrated Areas. Nonetheless, we show how they have been less effective in contrasting the growing power of other Mediterranean ports and have not been able to extend and diversify their port activities. The results of this work point in the direction of a more integrated cooperation between PAs and local and national governments, but also highlight that PAs alone cannot pursue such a complex transition in today's competitive market. Nevertheless, the current role of PAs in Italy has been reformed in 2016, therefore suggesting to treat results of this work as preliminary and in need of further research especially on the potential collaboration between public authorities and private operators. The work concludes with some food for thoughts and policy implications.