The privatisation of Ente Bacini begins

Genoa - The tender process is approaching for the privatisation of Ente Bacini in the port of Genoa: the Port Authority has in fact concluded its investigation into the technical structure of the notice inviting tenders for the concession for the careening service. The procedure began in Spring 2015, with the call for expressions of interest, with “the goal among others of stimulating investments in infrastructure (in the short term, like the modernisation of the facilities, and in the long term, like the enlargement of one of the existing basins) and of orienting the management in order to ensure that upgrading meets both the general interest and market demands,” as the Port Authority announced.

The draft invitation to tender has already been submitted for judgement by the Competition Authority, which requested that the activities of the future concession holder should be organised so that at least one basin is reserved for each of the two segments of the market that are present in the port (merchant ships in basin 3, 4 and 5; yachts in basins 1 and 2) to protect the general interest. But now the ball is in the court of the Ente Bacini company, which must submit its own official renunciation of the concession. Meanwhile, the Port Authority has confirmed its investment in infrastructure, some projects of which have already begun, for a total of €21 million. The companies that have expressed interest in the facility in recent months are Fincantieri, Genova Industrie Navali (GIN), Amico & Co and GMG. But things could change, because the competition will be open to industrial groups that have not yet come forward. According to leaks, the shares in Ente Bacini will be sold for about €1 million. It is a figure that GIN called “crazy”.