In 2025, Grimaldi intends to strengthen its activities in two key ports for maritime motorways: Genoa and Catania. In the Ligurian capital, the group is focusing on the Genoa Port Terminal, whose concession to Spinelli was annulled by an October 2024 ruling from the Concilio di Stato (Council of State). However, the matter remains unresolved, as the Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mar Ligure Occidentale (Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority) has yet to decide whether to launch a new tender or extend Spinelli’s operations in some manner.
On 24 December 2024, Grimaldi escalated the situation by sending a formal notice to Port Authority commissioners Massimo Seno and Alberto Maria Benedetti, demanding the immediate enforcement of the Council of State’s ruling. The annulment of Spinelli's concession stemmed from the terminal’s predominant use for container handling, contrary to the port’s regulatory plan, which designates the area for multipurpose use.
Grimaldi, already operating at Genoa’s Terminal San Giorgio, has argued that its activities at the Genoa Port Terminal will be multipurpose and has pledged to retain all current employees of the facility. However, the Port Authority has not yet clarified how it will reassign the terminal. In a statement made in late October, Manuel Grimaldi remarked, “My opinion is that they shouldn’t even hold a tender to award us the terminal.”
It remains uncertain whether this opinion will translate into an official legal stance by the Grimaldi Group. Nonetheless, a public tender remains a viable possibility, opening the door to competition from other companies interested in this prime operational area. To underscore its value, the Genoa Port Terminal handled 31,150 TEUs and 41,489 wheeled cargo units in the first nine months of 2024. Meanwhile, the concession issue is far from settled, as the Spinelli Group has lodged an appeal with the Corte di Cassazione (Supreme Court) against the Council of State’s decision.
In contrast, Grimaldi’s expansion efforts in Catania appear less fraught with obstacles. In December 2024, Grimaldi Marangolo Terminal Catania submitted an application to the Autorità di Sistema Portuale della Sicilia Orientale (Eastern Sicily Sea Port Authority) for a concession covering 106,250 square metres in the New Dock. This move is part of a broader restructuring of port activities, which also affects the nearby port of Augusta. The requested area includes the Southern Pier, currently used by Est for container handling.
