The Council of State's decision on the concession for the multipurpose terminal at the Port of Genoa — which the judges say has been used illegitimately by the Spinelli Group — could pave the way for a reassignment. However, uncertainty remains, given that two key variables are still in play. The first is the outcome of Spinelli's announced appeal to the Supreme Court against the Council of State's ruling. The second is the decision of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority regarding the terminal's future. They might choose to keep it as a multipurpose facility or convert it exclusively into a container terminal.
Meanwhile, the prospect of acquiring valuable new space at the Ligurian port, opened by the possible revocation of Spinelli's concession, has attracted interest from other operators for the Genoa Port Terminal at Ponte Etiopia. Grimaldi has made the first move. Speaking during the Confitarma assembly in an interview with the daily newspaper Secolo XIX, Emanuele Grimaldi stated that the company is analyzing the legal feasibility of taking over the concession. This move comes as no surprise, as Grimaldi meets the requirements for the multipurpose concession.
Grimaldi has said that if they were to take over, they would retain the current terminal staff. In fact, the nature of their operations (ro-ro traffic) could even require an increase in workers. Grimaldi also added, "They shouldn't even need a tender to grant us the terminal." The Grimaldi Group already operates in the Sampierdarena basin, where its vessels dock at Terminal San Giorgio, although that space may soon host chemical storage facilities — another issue that is also currently under appeal.
