Italy's Southern Adriatic Sea Port Authority has opened a preliminary market consultation to identify operators interested in developing and running a multi-purpose cargo terminal at Costa Morena in the Port of Brindisi.
The proposed concession covers approximately 75,000 square metres of yards and 550 metres of quay. The quay frontage takes in about 40 metres of Costa Morena Riva and the whole of Costa Morena Diga, which totals approximately 515 metres.
The notice was approved on October 19 and published on Friday, October 23. Expressions of interest may be submitted individually or jointly within two months.
The consultation is exploratory and precedes a possible competitive concession procedure. No concession has been awarded, and the authority may change the terms or decide not to proceed.
According to the authority, a concession would run for 20 to 40 years, depending on the investment and financial plan submitted. It would carry a fixed annual fee of €1.2 million to €2 million (US$1.3 million to US$2.2 million), plus a variable component of €20,000 to €100,000 (US$22,000 to US$110,000) linked to productive, energy and environmental efficiency indicators.
The terminal could handle, store and deposit goods of any kind, including waste and most dangerous goods. IMO Class I explosives and Class VII radioactive materials are excluded, and passenger and cruise traffic are not contemplated.
The site previously handled solid fuels for the Federico II thermal power station at Cerano and is currently being cleared by outgoing concession holder Enel Produzione. The concrete yards and quay have an indicative load bearing capacity of eight to 10 tonnes per square metre.
The existing seabed depth is 12.19 metres. The authority intends to restore the original 14-metre draught, potentially by 2028–2029.
Proximity to Brindisi Airport limits the height of vessels and quayside equipment, including cranes, to 50 metres above mean sea level.
A 490-metre railway track serves the site, and the concession holder would be responsible for restoring it. The track connects to the national network through installations operated by Consorzio Asi di Brindisi.
Rete Ferroviaria Italiana awarded works on the Brindisi intermodal node, worth more than €33 million (US$37 million), in May 2024.
The project includes a station with four 750-metre freight tracks and a route to port sidings and Costa Morena that bypasses Brindisi's central station.