Valeria Mangiarotti is the Marketing Director at the Sardinian Maritime Port System Authority (ADSP), a position she has held since 2002. With over 20 years of experience in the maritime industry, she is a renowned expert in sustainability, environmental innovation, and cruise port development.
Valeria graduated in Law from the Catholic University of Milan in 1992 and obtained a Master of Common Law from the London School of Economics. Since 2013, she has been responsible for environmental projects within ESPO and MedCruise, serving as Director of Environmental Technical Solutions, member of the "Ports as Hubs for a Sustainable Blue Economy" Committee, and Senior Vice President of MedCruise. She is also a member of WISTA and, since 2019, has been part of the European Commission's Expert Group on Sustainable Ports.
Since November 2022, Valeria has been president of ESPO's Cruise and Ferry Port Network, representing Europe's leading cruise and ferry ports. She has also been a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Italy (Banca d'Italia) since 2013.
He has led Green Ports initiatives, including studies on OPS (Onshore Power Supply) systems and LNG supply, as well as promoting environmental projects for ESPO and MedCruise.
You have held executive positions in the cruise industry for over twenty years. How would you describe the evolution of environmental awareness in the cruise industry during that time?
Environmental awareness in cruise ports and in the industry in general has changed significantly in recent years.
I remember that 15 years ago there was already talk of ecological solutions for ports, but not all port stakeholders were really aware that their behavior could make a difference.
The attitude of lawmakers has also changed significantly with Fit for 55 and the Green Deal. Even the legislator himself, with this legislation, has wanted to send a clear signal that he is becoming very strict for all of us.
Is OPS the right and definitive solution? What is the alternative?
I think we started talking about PAHO 15 years ago during some MedCruise events. At that time, everyone was pessimistic about PAHO's future because it was considered a futuristic solution.
We currently have a European directive that encourages ports to adopt this green solution. This measure will be mandatory for all ports, large and small.
I think there are many critical aspects to this solution, and I want to highlight a few:
- The amount of energy consumed by a cruise ship docked for six hours exceeds 14 MW; this means that when you have two or three cruise ships in a single day, you need a huge amount of green energy. How is it possible to have so much energy available in a port? How can this infrastructure be built in a small port or one with limited space?
- Regarding the cost of energy, there is a big difference between northern and southern Europe.
- As port authorities, we cannot sell energy directly to shipping companies, since we are public entities. A public tender will be necessary to identify the concessionaire authorized to sell the energy.
- We need the standardization of power plugs, which should be the same in all ports around the world.
- Space in the ports and authorization to build the infrastructure of the OPS plants.
What impact has the implementation of the ECA (Emission Control Area) in the Mediterranean had on cruise ships? Does the region have the necessary infrastructure and logistics to meet this challenge? How satisfied is MedCruise with the adoption of alternative fuels such as LNG and methanol in the Mediterranean? What policies could support the logistics of these new fuels in the region?
From May 1, 2025, the Mediterranean Sea officially became an ECA (Emission Control Area) for sulfur oxide (SOx) and particulate emissions, as established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
This classification has significant implications for all vessels, including cruise ships operating in the region. Below is a summary of the main impacts on cruise ships:
- Now ships must use fuels with a sulfur content ≤ 0.10% (compared to the global limit of 0.50%).
Negative impacts:
- Increased operating costs, as low-sulfur fuels (such as MGO – Marine Gas Oil) are more expensive.
- Logistical adjustments, such as the supply of compatible fuels in Mediterranean ports.
However, shipping companies can choose to install scrubbers to continue using high-sulfur fuels and still comply with emissions limits.
In my opinion, the region cannot help ports meet these challenges due to the high initial investment costs and downtime during installation, making this option complex.
Furthermore, in some ports the use of scrubbers is prohibited, so it is not always an applicable solution.
Regarding LNG, the Association believes that it is not a temporary solution, but could actually be a good solution for all ports.
The reason for this choice is the cost of installation, which must be reasonable for the ports; space, since many ports do not have free areas to build an LNG infrastructure; and, finally, the fact that many shipping companies are building new ships with LNG systems.
Operational Port Services (OPS) infrastructure in the Mediterranean is being deployed more slowly than in regions like the Baltic or Florida. Only a few ports, such as Toulon, currently have these systems. However, more and more projects are emerging. How would you assess the current situation in Mediterranean home and port calls?
There are many projects in Italy, Spain, and France, but they are still underway and have not been completed.
Within the framework of MedCruise, Jamil Ouazzani, director of the Port of Tangier, and I developed a very interesting questionnaire that we distributed last year to all MedCruise ports about green projects in the Mediterranean.
We also involved the consultancy SRM, which has conducted numerous studies in Europe with several northern ports, and the response was worrying: only 27% of ports will be ready to provide electricity to cruise ships via OPS by 2025.
The rest will only be ready by 2030.
Even in my last panel during the general assembly in Cartagena, where I was moderator, it became clear that the ports of Valencia and Lisbon are not prepared for OPS, although they are prepared for LNG.
The road ahead is still long, and if the ports are not ready with OPS by 2030, the legislator will have to adapt his laws to reality.
When will cruise ships have access to OPS (Operational Port Services) in all ports of call in the Western Mediterranean? Will Barcelona, Marseille, Civitavecchia, Genoa, etc., meet the 2030 deadline?
According to the results of our MedCruise survey of Mediterranean cruise ports, 98% of member ports are expected to receive cruises with Operations and Services (OPS) by 2030. However, few ports in the Mediterranean are currently truly prepared.
These are Barcelona, Marseille, and Civitavecchia. Other ports have OPS, but the system is not yet operational.
The reasons for the delay are bureaucracy, strict regulations for obtaining infrastructure construction permits and, finally, in Italy, for example, a protocol with the coast guard is needed to regulate the supply of OPS.
Many of the main Mediterranean ports of call are islands: Mallorca, Sardinia, Sicily, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu, etc. Is their island status compatible with the PAHO?
Yes, it is possible to have OPS (Operations and Services) on islands. For example, in Sardinia we are building OPS in the 8 ports we manage, for both ferries and cruise ships, but we cannot support the energy required for 3 or 4 cruise ships a day.
In Cagliari we are finalizing a 14 MW OPS infrastructure, which will allow us to supply only one cruise ship per day.
In Malta, the situation is very well organized. We visited the OPS infrastructure in Valletta, and they have a 60 MW plant. They have made 180 OPS connections during this period.
The MSC Europa was docked in transit in Valletta and consumed 60 MW per day. The price of the energy was acceptable, and the Port Authority was able to sell it directly to the shipping company.
In the Eastern Mediterranean, PAHO infrastructure is practically nonexistent. What is the cause of this delay?
Our survey responses made it clear that these ports are working on it. Perhaps the delay is due to political issues.
You are a member of the board of the Bank of Italy. What can European and national financial institutions contribute to the financing of environmental projects in MedCruise ports?
According to international research conducted by independent organizations, the Bank of Italy is one of the "greenest" central banks in the G20, due to its support for sustainable finance, the integration of environmental criteria into its investments, and the reduction of the ecological footprint of its institutional activities.
We are working towards the goal of net-zero emissions, reducing greenhouse gases and the Bank's environmental footprint.
Currently, we cannot act directly in the maritime sector.
The most common model for managing cruise terminals in the Mediterranean is the concession model, with specialized operators such as Global Ports or CTI. However, the ports that grant these concessions do not always provide the necessary infrastructure for cruise ship operations. Are the ports taking real action?
Yes, absolutely, the ports are working in that direction, building infrastructure for the port community and therefore also for the terminals.
The European EALING project aims to accelerate the deployment of OPS. Has any MedCruise port participated?
Yes, some MedCruise members are involved: the Valenciaport Foundation, Bulgarian and Greek ports.
As an association, ESPO is participating in the project, and we have provided technical and scientific contributions.
Royal Caribbean has acquired the concession for the Fiumicino-Isola Sacra Tourist Port to build a homeport near Rome. What is your opinion of this initiative? Will other cruise lines follow this model?
I don't believe this initiative will always be successful in all port areas. Port authorities must always be able to monitor traffic and regulate services. Personally, I disagree with this policy.
Does MedCruise have a unified system of indicators to monitor cruise ship emissions in ports? When can we expect a cruise ship call with a “zero carbon footprint”?
It's difficult to give an exact estimate of when we will have a zero-emissions port, but we are close.
Some ferries already use battery-powered electricity in port. Is this viable for cruise ships?
Yes, theoretically a cruise ship could run on batteries, but currently there are major technical and practical limitations:
- Battery size and weight.
- Insufficient autonomy for long journeys.
- Very long loading times and the need for very powerful infrastructure in ports.
However, technologies are advancing: experiments are being conducted with more powerful lithium batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, and electric propulsion combined with renewables.
You are also a member of ESPO's network of cruise and ferry ports. Which European port currently has the best environmental infrastructure?
Many northern ports have been working on this for years, but I believe the most environmentally competitive port is Hamburg.
It was the first in Europe to offer OPS to a large cargo ship: the Vasco da Gama turned off its engines and connected to the electrical grid during its stopover.
By the end of 2025, all major cruise and container terminals will be equipped with fully operational OPS.
One of the most debated issues in the Mediterranean is the perception of overtourism caused by cruise ships. What measures are being taken? Are tourist taxes or restrictions in cities like Barcelona, Venice, or Nice effective?
Combatting overtourism requires a combination of regulation, urban planning, and sustainability. Cities like Venice, Barcelona, Dubrovnik, and Hamburg already have limits in place.
The solutions include:
- Stagger arrivals.
- Specific environmental or tourist taxes.
- Redistribution of flows.
- Clean technologies.
- Real-time monitoring.
- Berth relocation strategies.
The key is collaboration between the port, the city, and shipping companies: agreements for more sustainable flows, alternative routes, longer stays with guided tours (providing greater economic value to the community).
Two of the last three MedCruise General Assemblies have been held in Spain, in Tarragona and Cartagena. What is your opinion of Spanish ports? In terms of environmental infrastructure, how would you rate their level of service: OPS, LNG bunkering, biofuel bunkering, MARPOL services, water supply, etc.?
I can say that Spanish ports have been working on environmental issues for years. They have received significant EU funding and have used it very effectively, which sets them apart from other Mediterranean ports.
Barcelona, for example, in my opinion is the leading cruise port in the Mediterranean in terms of facilities and environmental solutions.
