Gioia Tauro: From Transhipment to Intermodal Logistics Hub. The Role of Local Action

The article reconstructs the history of the port of Gioia Tauro, the largest transhipment port in Italy and one of the largest in the Mediterranean, and in particular the role played by the local communities of the plain of Gioia Tauro (the Piana) to make this infrastructure an engine for the development of the entire territory. To do this, it was necessary to overcome the mono functionality of transhipment and build an intermodal logistics hub. A goal largely achieved in 2021 with the entry into operation of the railway gateway, thanks to a multi-level governance that involved the Port Authority, the National Government, the Calabria Region and local communities. A second objective was to create the City of the Port, since it was born in an area with a predominantly agricultural economy and without an urban system of such dimensions as to be able to support the development of the port with adequate commercial, financial, accommodation services, etc. This objective has only been minimally achieved, since its implementation has been entrusted to three small municipalities that do not have the necessary technical and management resources. The last objective, to promote the development of productive activities, is now closely linked to the creation of the Special Economic Zone of Calabria and it can only be achieved through a strong multi-level partnership between public institutions and private companies.