Working Groups

Working Groups are a crucial part of Assarmatori’s mission which ensure that The Association is in a leadership role for its Membership. The Working Groups selects key shipping experts to review, discuss and tackle the most complex and critical key legal and technical issues facing the shipping industry. The practice of having appointed Working Groups enables The Association to best serve the interests of its Members on issues across the maritime industry and for any facet of the shipping sectors by being a leader on the issues faced by seafarers.

Working Group members are professionals selected based upon their expertise and understanding of the shipping industry or global maritime sector(s). Each member has a high degree of maritime specialisation. The Working Groups tackle a wide range of issues and may produce position papers, opinions, suggest policy, initiatives or recommendations for the Board which the Board must take action to represent the interests of its Members. The work of the Working Groups also helps to facilitate the exchange of expert know-how among The Association Members when the Groups Report back to the full membership, and with external counsel, and third parties.

The Association’s active Working Groups are:

Labour
The Group is dedicated to the bargaining negotiations with the Seafarers Unions, Seafarers’ working conditions, health and safety regulations in the workplace, , equal pay and treatment and training.

  • Chair: Stefano Messina – Executive Vice President Ignazio Messina & C. S.p.A.
  • Secretary: Stefano Peduto – Employment & Legal

Logistics, infrastructures and Ports
The Group is dedicated to the logistic and port environments and to any service rendered to vessels in ports. It also examines relations with terminal operators and regulatory bodies, such as with Port Authorities and Port Masters, railways, self- service operations, towage and pilotage services along with port dues.

  • Chair: Luigi Merlo – Public Affair Director MSC, Chairman Federlogistica
  • Secretary: Luca Brandimarte – Ports, Logistics & Competition

Innovation Technology, Environment and Safety
This Group addresses all aspects of ship safety and usual navigational issues including, emissions and pollution, the ballast water convention, the vessel’s technical development, alternative marine fuels, etc.

  • Chair: Stefano Beduschi – Deputy Senior Vice President Italia Marittima S.p.A.
  • Secretary: Enrico Allieri – Director for Ship Technology, Maritime Safety & Environment

Offshore navigation
The Group covers all oceanic navigation issues both for containers vessels and for the tankers and bulk vessels.

  • Chair: Stefano Beduschi – Deputy Senior Vice President Italia Marittima S.p.A.
  • Secretary: Enrico Allieri – Director for Ship Technology, Maritime Safety & Environment

Short sea shipping
The Group studies short sea shipping and the coastal local passenger transportation, or movement to the small Islands and related competition rules.

  • Chair: Franco Del Giudice – Chairman Delcomar s.r.l.
  • Secretary: Giovanni Consoli – Director for Maritime Policy

Cabotage and Motorways of the Sea
The Group studies the ro-ro freight on international cabotage, port tariffs, passenger terminals, state aid rules, and all that is related to the Motorways of the Sea.

  • Chair: Matteo Catani – CEO Grandi Navi Veloci S.p.A.
  • Secretary: Giovanni Consoli – Director for Maritime Policy

Tax and Economic
The Group covers national corporate tax on shipping companies, VAT, excise duty, State Aid rules; port dues, dockage and import duties. The Italian second shipping registry and its pension contribution scheme is also one of the topics for review.

  • Chair: Stefano Messina – Executive Vice President Ignazio Messina & C. S.p.A.
  • Secretary: Fabrizio Lolli – Director for Public Affairs

Cruises
The Group is dedicated to the cruise industry and its players. Issues such as the cruise supply chain, pollution and accessibility to ports and territorial waters, port dues and the costs associated with inland touristic services, are generally covered by the .Group.

  • Chair: Luigi Merlo – Public Affair Director MSC, Chairman Federlogistica
  • Secretary: Giovanni Consoli – Director for Maritime Policy

NRRP
The Group is active in addressing issues of interest to the maritime sector (initiatives, strategies, discussions). Among other things, it has the task of: (1) identifying and supporting the interventions of greatest interest to the sector with a view to renewing the fleet; (2) monitor the aid measures provided for by the complementary fund to the NRRP; (3) produce technical documentation to support the Association; support companies in supporting any co-financing of the investment, especially in the logic of direct allocation of resources to shipowners.

  • Chair: Franco Del Giudice – Chairman Delcomar s.r.l.
  • Secretary: Giovanni Consoli – Director for Maritime Policy