Avena (Confindustria): “The Pontremolese? As strategic as the bridge over the Strait of Messina”

La Spezia – The Pontremolese is «strategic for the country. Exactly like the Bridge over the Strait of Messina.” The provocation is launched by Salvatore Avena, president of the Logistics section of Confindustria La Spezia. The theme of infrastructure, investments and delays in the system were at the center of the debate yesterday at the conference in the Bucchioni room at the Port System Authority. The Pontremolese, the most awaited operation by the port community of La Spezia, is always there. Like 50 years ago, or a little more. Yet it would be strategic for the country’s industrial system. «A work – said the president of the province of Parma Andrea Massari – which was conceived by Cavour and which today more than ever is a symbol of the validity of a pioneering choice». Avena’s reasoning starts from the historical distance between industrial policies, logistics and infrastructure development. Two parallel lines that do not meet, revealing a lack of vision, so much so that in the strategic plan for ports and logistics there is no mention of connections between infrastructures and industrial sites. Because roads and railways always come later, with times that are never those of the economy.

«The Pontremolese should be among the most strategic works in the country, on a par with the Messina Bridge: it connects three regions and connects districts of excellence. From nautical to marble, from food to cars to connect one of the most important ports in Italy.” The regional councilor for Infrastructure Giacomo Giampedrone hit on the same point in his speech. Highlighting the great results achieved by the La Spezia port led by Sommariva. But they need structural supports to look to the future. «The Pontremolese – he said – is at the center of the next strategic choices of the government in office and is contained in the dossier being carried out by the deputy minister Edoardo Rixi». The country’s third largest port system now risks finding itself facing an infrastructural bottleneck. Does the work cost a lot? We are talking about 4.5 billion euros. For which there are no definitive projects for most of the routes. But «everything costs a lot and if we wait to build it it will cost more and more – urged councilor Giampedrone – And we cannot think with a 20 or 30 year perspective: the doubling of the Pontremolese railway line must be included in the next strategic works of the country”. This is a train that can no longer be missed. And don’t even put it off. —