The paths of the two regasifiers purchased by Snam to increase Italy’s energy autonomy from Russia proceed in parallel: the authorization process for both Ravenna and Piombino should be completed by October, with the two ships expected to arrive in the first months of 2023. According to Snam’s plans, the one at Piombino should be active in a few months, while it will take a little longer to activate the one that will be moored off the port of Ravenna.
Two different paths
The regasifiers are very large vessels that are used to bring natural gas from the liquid to the gaseous state, thus allowing the use of gas extracted in countries that are not connected to Italy by gas pipelines. But if the authorization procedures are more or less at the same point, with the respective regional presidents, Stefano Bonaccini and Eugenio Giani appointed as commissioners, the two events could have a different path.
For the Golar Tundra mooring in the port
While in Ravenna, in fact, there is a substantial consensus on the arrival of the ship, in Piombino the disputes are very heated. This also depends on the fact that while the one from Ravenna (the Bw Singapore ship) will be moored eight and a half kilometers from the coast, the one at Piombino (the Golar Tundra) will have to stay, at least for the first few years, in the port.
Mayor of Piombino leads the opposition front
The conference of services is the table called to give the first authorization: in addition to Snam, the ministry and the Region, all the subjects who are in some way involved in the project, starting from the Municipalities, up to authorities, associations, representatives of interest. In both cases there is a process with fairly short times to get the definitive go-ahead by the end of October. But, for example, while in Ravenna the mayor Michele de Pascale (Pd) is in favor of the project, his colleague from Piombino Francesco Ferrari (FdI) leads a rather varied and transversal front of opposites.
Key moment on September 19th
As for Piombino, an important date will be that of 19 September, when President Giani has already scheduled a meeting of the Conference of services. At that time, the clear opposition of the Municipality of Piombino will have to be faced and managed and how to proceed in view of October 27, the date by which Giani, in his capacity as commissioner, will have to give the definitive go-ahead to the work with all the necessary authorizations.