PROF. UGO PATRONI GRIFFI, LAWYER
- The year 2026 marks an epoch-making turning point for Italian maritime and energy policy, culminating in the full operation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This milestone represents the end of a long period of inertia, almost an ‘EEZ-phobia’, which for years has limited the country’s ambitions in exploiting its marine resources. The process, which began with Law 91/2021 and was finalised with Presidential Decree 193/2025, has provided our country with a clear and defined regulatory framework for the exercise of its functional sovereign rights well beyond the limits of its territorial waters. This regulatory evolution clearly distinguishes between absolute sovereignty, exercised within twelve nautical miles of the coast and subject to stringent landscape and tourism restrictions, and functional sovereign rights exercisable in the EEZ, which can extend up to two hundred nautical miles. In this new maritime space, the Italian state can now exercise exclusive rights for the exploration, exploitation, conservation and management of natural resources, both biological and non-biological, as well as for the production of energy from renewable sources such as wind and currents. This new legal framework, aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS or Montego Bay Convention of 1982), has made it possible to overcome the obstacles that had historically hampered the development of offshore wind power in Italy. These included complex bureaucracy, characterised by a fragmentation of competences between the state, regions and local authorities, and strong opposition from coastal communities, known as the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) or NIMTO (Not In My Term of Office) syndrome, due to the visual impact of the installations (visual pollution). The centralisation of authorisation powers at state level for projects located in the EEZ and the greater distance from the coast of floating installations have created a more favourable environment for investors, offering the legal certainty essential to guarantee the bankability of long-term concessions, estimated at between 25 and 30 years. The official delimitation of maritime borders with Croatia and Greece has further consolidated this framework of stability, transforming the sea from a mere transit space to a territory of production and sovereignty.
- The establishment of the Exclusive Economic Zone has created the legal basis for a new industrial era, but it is technological innovation that provides the operational tool. Floating offshore wind (FOWT) technology is the strategic enabler for exploiting the energy potential of the Italian seas, overcoming the intrinsic limitations of traditional fixed foundations. The latter, widely used in the seas of Northern Europe, are inapplicable in most of the Mediterranean due to the high depths of the seabed, which quickly exceed 50-60 metres. The Southern Adriatic and the Ionian Sea, in particular, have a bathymetric profile that specifically requires the use of floating platforms anchored to the seabed. This technological necessity triggers a significant shift in added value, transferring the focus of industrial activity from civil engineering, typical of fixed installations, to shipbuilding. The construction of the imposing floating structures in steel or concrete, their assembly with the turbines and subsequent towing to the site represent a purely naval contract, a sector in which Italy boasts a history of excellence. The FER 2 Decree, with its incentive mechanisms for innovative renewable sources, has further accelerated this transition, stimulating investment in a high-potential sector. Puglia, thanks to its geographical position and the presence of a strong wind resource, is at the centre of this revolution, with a pipeline of projects that, according to estimates, could exceed 15-18 gigawatts of installed capacity. Projects such as Barium Bay, Apeneste and Kailia Energia are just the vanguard of a development that promises to transform the region into the main energy hub of the Mediterranean, capitalising on the technological maturity achieved by FOWT and the new regulatory framework offered by the SEZ.
- The national strategy for floating offshore wind power is centred on the Apulian port system, with the port of Taranto designated as the industrial engine of this transformation and the port of Brindisi playing a complementary role. Interministerial Decree No. 167 of 4 July 2025 officially recognised the Ionian port as a priority national hub for the construction, assembly, launch and maintenance of floating wind platforms. This strategic decision is supported by a substantial investment plan of €78.3 million for the three-year period 2025-2027, aimed at upgrading the port’s infrastructure. Key interventions include the dredging of the multi-purpose pier to accommodate the imposing floating structures and the provision of vast logistics spaces for the storage of components, such as new-generation 15-megawatt turbines and above. The industrial conversion of Taranto from a traditional steel centre to a green economy hub promises to have a far-reaching impact on employment, with an estimated 4,000 new jobs created directly and indirectly, attracting skilled professionals such as welders, engineers and logistics technicians. In this context, the Apulian port system acts synergistically. While Taranto specialises in heavy shipbuilding, the port of Brindisi plays a strategic role in logistics and maintenance operations (O&M) for wind farms (not excluding a role in the development of shipbuilding for floaters thanks to the new platforms in Costa Morena and, above all, Capobianco, especially as the latter is already a customs free zone), and Bari qualifies as a centre for engineering, remote monitoring, interconnection with the national transmission network and a base for the safety and security of the EEZ. This functional specialisation, combined with the geographical position that places Puglia as a natural interface with the Exclusive Economic Zones of Greece and Croatia, consolidates the region’s role as a logistics and industrial platform of primary importance in the Mediterranean basin, catalysing a production chain that integrates steelworks, shipyards and research centres in a virtuous ecosystem.
- The industrialisation of the Exclusive Economic Zone requires careful and coordinated management of maritime space in order to ensure the sustainable coexistence of the new energy vocation and traditional activities such as fishing and shipping. Maritime Spatial Planning (provided for by Directive 2014/89/EU, which requires coastal Member States to adopt maritime spatial plans) plays a crucial role in this context in defining a balance between the different uses of the sea. For commercial shipping, safe transit corridors are guaranteed, in line with the principle of freedom of international navigation, while 500-metre safety zones are established around wind farms to prevent accidents. New prospects are also opening up for the fishing industry. While the installation of wind farms limits access to certain areas, the foundations of the turbines themselves can act as marine ‘sanctuaries’, promoting fish repopulation sheltered from trawling. Compensation mechanisms are also provided for fishing fleets that may suffer restrictions on their activities. Alongside space management, the issue of safety is also emerging strongly. Offshore wind farms and their submarine connection cables are critical infrastructure of national strategic importance. The state therefore has a legal obligation to protect these assets from any potential threat, whether accidental, such as damage caused by anchors or fishing activities, or malicious, such as physical or cyber sabotage. This responsibility translates into a strengthening of maritime defence and surveillance capabilities. The Coast Guard, the Italian Financial Police ( ) and the Navy are called upon to constantly monitor the EEZ, supported by new investments in offshore patrol vessels capable of operating continuously up to 200 miles from the coast and the establishment of the first Coast Guard naval base in Bari, in addition to the ROAN base. Let us not forget, in fact, the role of the Guardia di Finanza, which exercises economic policing functions at sea, monitoring the correct payment of royalties deriving from the exploitation of resources and using the wind farm surveillance network as a tool to combat illegal trafficking. Safety and security thus become an essential prerequisite for the economic development of the sea (and an economic activity in itself that supports Apulian ports).
- The development of floating offshore wind power in Italy’s Exclusive Economic Zone is not only an energy transition, but also acts as a powerful driver for the entire maritime economy, or Blue Economy. According to European Commission analyses, this sector is characterised by a significant multiplier effect, with an estimate that every euro invested can generate two and a half euros in related industries. This impact manifests itself through various channels. Firstly, the availability of low-cost energy produced offshore encourages ‘reshoring’, incentivising the return of manufacturing activities to southern Italy and helping to reverse the trend towards deindustrialisation. Secondly, a short, integrated supply chain is being created, connecting the historic expertise of steelworks, such as those in Taranto, with shipbuilding and university research centres, generating an ecosystem of innovation and high value-added production. This process stimulates demand for skilled labour, requiring new generations of naval engineers, environmental specialists, safety technicians and skilled operators. The operational roadmap for the five-year period 2026-2030 includes tight deadlines, with the launch of the first competitive auctions under the FER 2 Decree, the completion of infrastructure upgrades in Apulian ports and the achievement of full project financing. The strategic vision that emerges is that of a virtuous triangle, in which the EEZ provides the legal instrument, floating wind technology the technical enabler and the Apulian port system, with Taranto at the forefront, the industrial engine. In this perspective, the sea ceases to be perceived as a frontier or a simple transit space, establishing itself as a territory of production, innovation and sovereignty, which requires strategic vision, protection and expertise to fully deploy its potential.
- In conclusion, the advent of the Exclusive Economic Zone and the development of floating offshore wind power represent a historic opportunity for Italy, and Puglia in particular, for industrial reconversion and leadership in the Blue Economy sector. The legal framework, finally defined, must now be accompanied by rapid and effective executive capacity to transform planning into industrial reality. Puglia, with Taranto as its construction hub and the Southern Adriatic as its production basin and operational base for EEZ safety and security, is set to become the beating heart of the national energy strategy. The inseparable link between economic development and control of the sea is clear, where the security of infrastructure and trade routes becomes a precondition for any investment. The success of this transition will depend largely on the ability to coordinate between the Port System Authorities ( ), the central government and private operators, in a strategic alliance that can harness the immense potential of a sea that is no longer just for sailing, but also for cultivation.
