Fincantieri Castellammare, Democrats and Progressives call on Fico: "We need investment and a development agreement."

Castellammare – The future of Fincantieri, the dock project, the redevelopment of the port areas, and a development strategy capable of involving the entire region. These are the central themes of the letter that the Democrats and Progressives of Castellammare di Stabia addressed to the President of the Campania Region, Roberto Fico, the Metropolitan Mayor, Gaetano Manfredi, and the President of the Central Tyrrhenian Sea Port Authority, Eliseo Cuccaro.

The appeal comes after Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini responded to a parliamentary question from Senator Gianluca Cantalamessa regarding the Stabia shipyard. According to the Democrats and Progressives (Democrats and Progressives), the minister's statements reiterate the facility's centrality and the need to proceed according to the Port Master Plan, revitalizing a project that for years has been a strategic hub for the city's industrial and urban future.

The request, addressed primarily to the Region, is to move from declarations of intent to concrete institutional dialogue, with verifiable commitments regarding resources, timescales, and the projects to be completed.

The capsizing at sea and the project stalled since 2009

The starting point is the relocation to the sea, with the construction of the dock and a comprehensive reorganization of the port spaces. This project, as stated in the letter, should support Fincantieri's production development and, at the same time, free up and redevelop areas for the city and nautical-related activities.

This transformation could also have implications for the revitalization of the Ancient Baths and the historic center, fitting the construction site into a broader strategy of urban regeneration and enhancing the relationship between Castellammare and the sea.

The Democrats and Progressives recall that the choice of the basin has been stalled since 2009, when an agreement was reached with the government, referenced in the letter by referring to the Official Bulletin of the Campania Region, number 59, dated October 5 of that year. Since then, they argue, a series of protocols, meetings, and declarations have followed without the project reaching the desired concrete stage.

Now, according to the movement, the financial scope of the operation needs to be clarified. The required resources are estimated at over 800 million euros: a figure that requires a precise definition of the investments, the respective institutional responsibilities, and the administrative process required to make the intervention possible.

"An agreement for development" for the city and the territory

The letter considers Fincantieri's future not just an industrial issue. The shipyard is cited as a lever for rethinking Castellammare's development model, at a time the signatories describe as challenging for the city.

The proposal is to build a real "Development Agreement", involving local expertise, universities, entrepreneurial forces and the various institutional levels: Campania Region, Metropolitan City, Port Authority and Government.

The goal is to coordinate existing resources, including European funds earmarked for cities and the environment, with the necessary investments for the port and construction site. Therefore, not only the completion of infrastructure works, but a project capable of connecting production, urban redevelopment, employment, and new economic activities.

For the Democrats and Progressives, Castellammare must also strengthen its role within a larger area, which includes the Lattari Mountains, Pompeii, the Sorrento Peninsula, and the Vesuvian coast. This area is rich in natural, scenic, and archaeological resources, and, according to the proposal, an organized environmental and tourism district could provide further development.

A high-level training school for new naval technologies

Alongside infrastructure and investments, the letter emphasizes human capital. The Region, in collaboration with Campania's universities, is urged to promote a higher education school in Castellammare di Stabia dedicated to research into new technologies for decarbonizing the shipping industry and retraining shipbuilding professionals.

The project aims to connect the industrial expertise already present in the area with the technological transformations affecting the maritime sector. Specialized training, innovation, and research are identified as essential to strengthening the shipyard's competitiveness and offering new opportunities to younger generations.

The signatories argue that protecting the plant cannot be limited to safeguarding existing operations, but must be accompanied by the ability to develop new skills and respond to the challenges of the energy transition. Hence the call for a regional initiative involving the university system and building a stable link between education, research, and the naval industry.

The confrontation with Fico: from declarations to commitments

The final part of the letter translates into a specific political and administrative request: to reopen discussions on the basin project and the port's reorganization, starting with the removal of dilapidated structures in the port areas.

The Democrats and Progressives are calling on President Roberto Fico, following Minister Salvini's statements, to take the initiative to bring the government, Fincantieri, and the Port Authority together to address the issue of necessary investments and construction.

The question addressed to the Region and the Metropolitan City also concerns the commitments they intend to make to support the city's development, going beyond what has already been planned with European funds.

The final message is that the future of the shipyard and that of Castellammare cannot be addressed separately. The redevelopment of the dock, the redevelopment of the port, training, and tourism revitalization are presented as parts of a single vision. Transforming this vision into an operational program, however, will require defined resources, clear responsibilities, and a shared agenda of actions between the institutions and stakeholders.