Bunkering operations at Italy’s Port of Trieste is suspended due to “suspicious infiltrations in the company managing the bunker deposit,” says Global Service Maritime (GSM) and GAC to the World Maritime News.
Blocked Port of Trieste
Specifically, the Port System Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea (Port of Trieste) has launched a revocation procedure for the public concession granted to Depositi Costieri Trieste, a company which was in charge of handling and storing petroleum products in the port.
At the end of December, the company was subjected to interdiction measures issued by the Prefecture of Trieste, in addition to an application for bankruptcy submitted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. This was in light of “attempted infiltrations on the part of organized crime,” according to the Port of Trieste.
The impact
A few months ago, an information report pursuant to the anti-mafia law was requested by the port authority as part of the authorization procedure for the modification of the shareholding structure. This authorization is allowed by the norms disciplining public maritime domain concessions.
The Local Authorities Planning Conference was held on January 10, following the recent events. On this occasion, three external commissioners were appointed in order to ensure the resumption of bunkering operations.
Zeno D’Agostino, President of the Port System Authority, says that “First of all, we will work together with the commissioners to find an immediate solution to ensure the supply of fuel to the Port of Trieste, which will resume in the coming days, and to safeguard the employees of Depositi Costieri”.
He also remarks that “the Port of Trieste has not been infiltrated in any way by organized crime”, and “the matter of Depositi Costieri was an isolated event that was immediately quarantined”.
The situation is expected to be back to normal in about a week, GSM said.
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Source: World Maritime News
