Sicily’s GDP, as certified by Svimez and Istat, grows more in percentage than in other regions, but in value it remains among the lowest in Italy. Industry and tourism cannot do much more than this year’s excellent performances, while the drought is not helping the recovery of agriculture. There is an additional path for the future of Sicily: the island, which seventy years ago turned its back on its sea, can today reclaim this relationship and be able to exploit the treasure represented by the blue economy.
The numbers of the sea economy
The sea economy – which includes ports and maritime traffic, tourism and catering, sustainable fishing industry, shipbuilding, nautical and recreational tourism, sports and health, scientific research, marine extraction and environmental protection – already today, despite being kept at the minimum regime, it is worth almost 10 billion in added value, the result of 28,640 companies with 82,409 employees. Five actions that enhance the infrastructures and highways of the sea, the specialization of young people, the quality of connections, sustainable fishing and tourism activities and the trinomial sea-sport-health would be enough to multiply Sicily’s GDP by equaling the rich areas of North.
The conference
These are the five proposals that the newspaper “La Sicilia” will launch on Friday 28 June, at 9 am, at the Marina Yachting Center of the trapezoidal pier of the port of Palermo, in the conference “The sea inside” organized with Dse Eventi, main sponsor of ITS Academy of Catania “Sustainable Mobility and Transport Foundation” and the contribution of Cna Sicilia and the Western Sicily Sea Port System Authority. After greetings from the mayor of Palermo, Roberto Lagalla; of the member of the Bureau of the Chamber, Carolina Varchi; and the president of the Palermo Enna Chamber of Commerce, Alessandro Albanese; An introductory speech by the President of the Region, Renato Schifani, is expected. The work will be conducted and moderated by Michele Guccione, editor of “La Sicilia”.
At the basis of the comparison there will be two scientific reports: Adriano Giannola, president of Svimez, will focus on the relationship between the single SEZ of the South and motorways of the sea; Alessandro Panaro, Chief of Med&Energy of the Srm study center in Naples connected to Intesa Sanpaolo, will analyze the updated data on maritime traffic, highlighting the centrality of Sicily’s role after the Suez crisis, especially in the Ro-Ro and Energy sectors.
The round tables
The first round table will follow, dedicated to ports and motorways of the sea, with a video contribution by Edoardo Rixi, deputy minister of Infrastructure and Transport with responsibility for ports, and interventions by Francesco Di Sarcina, president of the Sea Port System Authority of eastern Sicily; Ivo Blandina, president of Uniontrasporti and deputy vice-president of Unioncamere Sicilia; Pietro Franza, CEO of Caronte&Tourist; Alessandro Aricò, regional councilor for Infrastructure and Mobility.
The second round table will see Luigi Rizzolo, president of Sicindustria, discuss; Gianpaolo Miceli, coordinator of Cna Balneari Sicilia; Andrea Ciulla, vice president of Italian Assonautica and president of Assonautica Palermo; Brigida Morsellino, director of the Board of Its Academy of Catania and president of the “International Propeller Club of the port of Catania and South-East Sicily”; Alberto Pulizzi, general manager of the regional Fisheries department; Edy Tamajo, regional councilor for Productive Activities. The minister for maritime policies, Nello Musumeci, will take stock in a talk with the editor-in-chief of “La Sicilia”, Antonello Piraneo. Domenico Ciancio Sanfilippo, co-director of “La Sicilia” will conclude.
