Marina di Imperia in Liguria, Italy, has officially secured a 65-year concession for its completion and management under the Municipality of Imperia’s in-house company, Go Imperia. The agreement ended a provisional phase that had relied on temporary one-year concessions for routine maintenance, paving the way for an extensive redevelopment of the tourist port.
Originally conceived in 1981 with the establishment of Imperia Mare S.p.A., the project has been decades in the making. Early efforts increased the number of berths from 350 to 700, creating the foundation for a modern marina. Plans for a larger facility emerged in 1994 and materialised in 2006 with the creation of Porto di Imperia S.p.A., which obtained a 55-year concession and began construction in 2007.
Since 2014, Go Imperia has maintained port operations, ensuring the structure remains functional. From 2018, the municipal administration undertook regulatory, planning and administrative work, resolving hundreds of disputes, renewing urban and state property titles, drafting a new financial plan and approving a completion project. The State Property Office also finalised the incorporation of the works into state assets.
The 65-year concession allows the development of 1,235 berths, ranging from five to 90 metres, including 782 for tourist vessels and 453 for local boats. At the centre of the project will be the Hall of the Sea, hosting a five-star hotel with a private dock, wellness centre and panoramic terraces. The building will accommodate the Yacht Club headquarters, a bar-restaurant and the port reception on the ground floor, with offices and guest spaces above.
Additional developments include residential buildings along San Lazzaro Quay with ground-floor commercial units, housing for state bodies and the new Torre degli Ormeggiatori to oversee nautical manoeuvres. The port will feature public infrastructure such as parking, green spaces, recreational facilities, shipyard areas, a fuel station and a pedestrian promenade connecting the port to the Urban Park and Via Scarincio.
The project also incorporates sustainable features such as heat pump air conditioning, solar panels, advanced wastewater and stormwater management, and fire protection networks. A photovoltaic system over the wastewater treatment plant, part of the nearby Energy Park project, will supply renewable energy.
The total investment is estimated at €159 million excluding VAT. Funding will rely on the sale of berths and onshore facilities, combined with private sector participation. Construction is expected to be completed within seven years, while parallel urbanisation projects, valued at €12 million, will include a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Impero Stream, a new bridge over the Rio Baité, sewer upgrades and green area redevelopment.
