PORT NETWORK AUTHORITY

The Port of Trieste is one of the 15 Italian ports that are home to Port Network Authorities.

Legislative Decree n. 169 of 4 August 2016, published in the Official Journal of the Italian Republic n. 203 of 31 August 2016 and entered into force on 15 September of that year, profoundly innovated the administration system for ports established under Law n. 84 of 28 January 1994 and subsequent amendments, and replaced Port Authorities with Port Network Authorities (Autorità di Sistema Portuale – AdSP).

Regarding the Port of Trieste, pursuant to art. 7 of the above-mentioned legislative decree – which modifies art. 6 of Law n. 84/1994 – the Port Network Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea was instituted.

Concerning Trieste, the establishment of the Port Network Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea was perfected by the deed that appointed its President, namely Decree n. 361 of the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of 8 November 2016.

The Port Network Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea is a non-profit public body, endowed with administrative, budgeting, and financial autonomy (art. 6, comma 5 of Law n. 84 of 28 January 1994, as modified by Legislative Decree n. 169 of 4 August 2016).

The Port Network Authority is subject to the vigilance of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, which also reviews all deliberations on the approval of the budget, any adjustment entries, and final accounts, in addition to deliberations regarding the staffing of the technical and operational departments. Vigilance over deliberations regarding the budget and final accounts is carried out by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

With the abandonment of the port activities previously carried out by the Autonomous Authority of the Port of Trieste, there is now a clear separation between the operational role, entrusted to private subjects, and the oversight role, entrusted to the Port Authority. Subsequent to the full privatisation of port operations, the Authority is no longer allowed to carry out port operations or related activities, either directly or through subsidiaries. This same separation of roles applies to the Port Network Authority.

Download the text of Law n. 84/1994 consolidated by the modifications introduced by d.lgs. 196/2016