Cagliari again risks isolation by sea . The route from Civitavecchia, with a stop at Arbatax "is considered scarcely profitable by the shipowners because it is characterized by very high costs and conditioned by the competition exerted by other lines". Furthermore "both the European Commission and the Transport Regulation Authority (Art) have expressed perplexity on the need to maintain the line under a public service regime". From March it could remain uncovered, for this reason «a comparison and analysis activity has been launched with public and private stakeholders, in particular with the Region, in order to identify a service structure that reconciles all needs in the best possible way» . Those of transport of the Sardinians and the economic ones of the companies.

These are the words of the undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Tullio Ferrante, in response to a question by the Cagliari deputy Francesca Ghirra (Alliance Verdi-Left) who asked for reassurances on the future of the maritime connection of the capital of the island, currently guaranteed only three times a week (and with just two calls in Ogliastra every seven days).

Ghirra had also criticized the fragmentation of the routes in the tender for maritime continuity, asking for the return to the assignment of all the connections of the Sardinian ports with a single tender, which he considers more attractive.

The government's line is different: « The decision to segment the maritime continuity plan with Sardinia through the tendering of individual sections is the result of economic assessments which have not brought out economies of scale or other efficiencies such as to justify the aggregation of several lots», explained Ferrante. Certain that «the lines awarded have been entrusted to leading shipowners on the national scene, who guarantee adequate quality and service standards, significantly improved in terms of timetables, commercial speed and extension of tariff concessions, compared to the previous agreement with Cin ».

The real problem is precisely the Civitavecchia-Arbatax-Cagliari "considered scarcely profitable: despite the conspicuous subsidy originally foreseen as a basis for the tender", added the undersecretary, "the awarding procedure has not aroused particular interest on the part of shipowners, more to serve other routes where the profit margins are objectively different". The dialogue is open, assured the exponent of the Meloni government. The solution, however, is not there yet. As the March deadline approaches.

Henry Fresu

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