Nautical industry and Blue Economy: Gallura and Salerno explore a lasting partnership

Strengthening the nautical industry, expanding services for large yachts and connecting infrastructure, research and training were the main priorities discussed by Gallura and Salerno at “Dialogue across the Tyrrhenian Sea – Blue Economy, Tourism and Skills”. The forum, organised by Consorzio ASI Salerno and CIPNES Gallura, took place at the Salerno Chamber of Commerce on 16 October 2026.

The event brought together institutions, universities and businesses from Sardinia and Campania, outlining a cooperation programme between territories sharing a maritime identity and the international appeal of the Costa Smeralda and the Amalfi Coast. The proposed next steps are to formalise an agreement by November and hold a follow-up meeting in Gallura in spring 2027.

The initiative forms part of Sardinia’s Regional Plan for the Internationalisation of the Nautical Industry, funded by the regional government and implemented by CIPNES Gallura to support exports, attract investment and strengthen production, refitting and advanced services. Dialogue with Salerno extends this programme by identifying opportunities for industrial, logistical and scientific cooperation.

Turning superyacht traffic into industrial growth

Gallura’s potential was highlighted by Aldo Carta, Director General of CIPNES Gallura and President of UniOlbia. Research by the CIPNES Gallura-UniOlbia Research Centre, conducted with the Northern Sardinia Maritime Directorate, recorded 3,176 unique superyachts over 24 metres between June and August 2026, an increase of 9.97% compared with 2025.

According to Carta, this presence should translate into business for local companies across shipbuilding, maintenance, refitting, components and technological services. The challenge is to turn tourism appeal into manufacturing capacity, supported by suitable infrastructure and the skills needed to sustain investment.

Olbia’s nautical district is already moving from a predominantly craft-based system towards more structured businesses with research and development departments and university partnerships. Strengthening this transition requires technical and operational expertise, which has also become a decisive consideration for foreign investors.

Employment was addressed by Livio Fideli, President of CIPNES Gallura, who attended alongside Vice-President Antonio Loriga. Fideli cited an Olbia shipyard planning to recruit 110 workers over the next two years, highlighting the difficulty of finding engineers, technicians and managers.

Cooperation between businesses, institutions and education providers is therefore essential to meet recruitment needs and support greater continuity in operations. The aim is to enable shipyards to work at full capacity throughout the year, reducing their dependence on the tourism season.

Ports and refitting: retaining more value locally

The link between summer yacht traffic and industrial services was explored by Domenico Bagalà, President of the Sardinian Sea Port System Authority. Many large yachts visiting Sardinia subsequently move to other Mediterranean countries for refitting, allowing foreign industrial supply chains to capture part of the economic value associated with the island’s nautical tourism.

Cooperation with Campania could help develop complementary infrastructure, coordinated port services and shared operating standards. Bagalà also addressed the logistical disadvantages of island locations and the impact of the European ETS on maritime transport, calling for measures tailored to Sardinia, Corsica and the Balearic Islands.

Innovation opportunities included the biomethanol project for the nautical industry, promoted by CIPNES Gallura with Politecnico di Milano. The initiative connects the competitiveness of nautical services with research into new energy solutions.

The employment contribution of marina infrastructure was illustrated by Agostino Gallozzi, President of Marina d’Arechi. The Salerno marina supports approximately 570 direct and indirect jobs, demonstrating how port facilities can generate business and services throughout the wider supply chain.

Investment and education among Sardinia’s priorities

Giuseppe Meloni, Vice-President of the Sardinian Regional Government and Regional Minister for Planning and Budget, confirmed the willingness to host the next forum in Gallura. He supported cooperation capable of ensuring investment continuity beyond individual political terms.

Among regional initiatives, he highlighted funding for university education in Olbia over a 15-year period, designed to consolidate the presence of universities and develop the skills required by the nautical and aeronautical industries.

On business investment, Meloni reported that more than 85% of ERDF resources had been programmed, from an allocation exceeding €1.5 billion. The instruments presented included investment contracts ranging from €3 million to €25 million, with grants of up to 50% for small businesses, 40% for medium-sized companies and 30% for large enterprises, subject to the conditions of each scheme.

The Vice-President also noted business interest in incentives for innovation and the nautical industry. Stronger relationships between institutions, universities and industrial consortia could help address structural challenges, including energy and transport costs, while improving industrial services and the ability to attract capital.

An agreement to turn dialogue into action

Opening the forum, Antonio Visconti, President of Consorzio ASI Salerno, identified the maritime economy, tourism and industrial activities as the main areas for cooperation between the two territories.

The proposal to reach an agreement by November was supported by Settimo Nizzi, Mayor of Olbia and President of the North-East Sardinia–Gallura Province. He suggested holding the next meeting in Olbia between late April and early May 2027.

Nizzi linked the initiative to infrastructure modernisation, international investment and stronger education and training. Shipbuilding’s increasing use of robots, computer numerical control machinery and advanced software requires new professional skills. Industrial development should provide stable employment prospects and enable young people to build their future locally.

In his closing remarks, Vincenzo De Luca, Mayor of Salerno and former President of the Campania Region, endorsed the proposed agreement, emphasising the importance of manufacturing and predictable administrative timescales in attracting investment.

From shipbuilding to advanced research

For De Luca, the maritime economy encompasses a productive system extending beyond hospitality to ship and submarine construction, marine drones and telecommunications infrastructure. His reference to Prysmian in Pozzuoli highlighted Campania’s technological expertise in submarine cables.

The Mayor also presented plans to regenerate approximately seven kilometres of Salerno’s eastern waterfront, including at least 15 new hotels, a boulevard and an integrated tourism district. Special Economic Zone procedures are intended to provide predictable approval times. De Luca also argued for competitive tax incentives to attract investment to southern Italy.

Another potential area of cooperation is Campania’s Quantum Valley, supported by planned investment of approximately €100 million in quantum computing infrastructure near the University of Salerno. De Luca expressed a willingness to make its future technological capabilities available to Sardinian universities and businesses pursuing advanced research.

Airports: Olbia and Salerno already sharing expertise

The discussions also highlighted existing cooperation in aviation. Roberto Barbieri, Chief Executive Officer of Gesac, explained that Salerno’s private jet terminal had been developed using Eccelsa Aviation, based at Olbia Airport, as a reference.

The relationship could eventually lead to corporate integration, should mutually beneficial conditions arise. Development of the Campanian airport also requires international connections, tourism promotion, high-quality hotel accommodation and rail links.

Silvio Pippobello, Chief Executive Officer of Geasar, described the benefits of exchanging expertise in both directions. Discussions with Naples Airport, which handles approximately 12 million passengers annually, compared with 4.6 million at Olbia, helped revise plans to expand the Gallura terminal, improving space efficiency and containing planned investment.

Olbia, in turn, is sharing its experience in international private aviation with Salerno. Further industrial connections involve aircraft maintenance through Atitech’s operations at airports in Campania and Olbia.

Universities and businesses supporting a more competitive maritime economy

Education is a common thread across the opportunities discussed. Francesco Mola, Rector of the University of Cagliari, recalled that Olbia’s bachelor’s degree in Naval Engineering was developed through dialogue with nautical businesses. An international master’s degree taught in English, developed with the University of Naples Federico II, is planned for the 2027–2028 academic year.

This provision is complemented by the professionally oriented degree in Electrical and Aeronautical Industrial Technologies, which also addresses aircraft maintenance needs. Virgilio D’Antonio, Rector of the University of Salerno, confirmed the university’s willingness to design education programmes with businesses, connecting research, specialist skills and employment opportunities.

The sector’s economic scale was outlined by Andrea Prete, National President of Unioncamere. According to the figures presented, Italy’s Blue Economy generates approximately €80 billion in direct gross value added, rising to more than €300 billion when its effects across the wider economy are included, and supports over 1.1 million jobs. Southern Italy accounts for 34% of the sector’s national gross value added.

Maurizio De Pascale, President of Unioncamere Sardegna and Confindustria Sardegna, stressed the role of industrial consortia in coordinating infrastructure, businesses and regional development policies, enabling the nautical industry to deliver investment and year-round employment.

MP Piero De Luca proposed a “Blue SEZ”, with administrative simplification and tax incentives for shipbuilding and recreational boating, alongside stronger ITS technical education programmes dedicated to the maritime economy. According to the figures cited, the sector involves more than 8,000 businesses and approximately 25,000 workers in the province of Salerno.

The forum outlined a path towards joint projects connecting international demand in the nautical industry with local productive capabilities. A formal agreement and the proposed meeting in Gallura could turn this dialogue into practical cooperation, with investment, innovation and skilled employment as shared objectives.