The North Tyrrhenian Port Network Authority was a key player at Seatrade Cruise Global 2026, the world’s most prestigious cruise industry event held at the Miami Beach Convention Centre from 13th to 16th April. Together with other national ports, under the Assoporti umbrella and the collective CruiseItaly brand, the network comprising Livorno, Piombino and the ports of Elba showcased significant results and a strategic vision centred on sustainability and hospitality.
The data presented at the trade fair highlighted a golden period for the port of Livorno. According to forecasts by Cemar Agency Network, Italy is set to welcome over 15 million cruise passengers this year, and Livorno is consolidating its position as one of the top ten Italian ports. A total of 428 calls are scheduled at the port of Livorno for 2026. Around 886,000 passengers are expected. The number of vessel calls has been steadily increasing, peaking in May with 65. MSC remains the top operator with 115 calls, followed by Viking Ocean Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.
The Miami delegation from Livorno represented the Port Network Authority (PNA) (led by Claudio Capuano, Senior executive at the Promotion & Study Dept), Porto di Livorno 2000 (led by its President, Matteo Savelli) and the LEM Foundation (led by its Coordinator, Adriano Tramonti). The PNA didn’t just promote its main port but the entire North Tyrrhenian network as a single, large, highly diversified destination. Piombino continues to excel as a strategic hub for connections to the islands, whilst Elba – with 110 scheduled calls this year, a significant increase on the 85 calls made the previous year – remains a premier destination for the luxury sector and medium-sized vessels, capitalising on its natural and cultural attractions that are unique in the Mediterranean.
In line with the issues addressed at Seatrade 2026— with a strong focus on environmental sustainability — the delegation showcased the latest developments in quay electrification (cold ironing) projects and the upgrading of digital infrastructure to optimise port operations.
One of the Authority’s key objectives is to balance visitor numbers with safeguarding the local environment, by promoting “slow” tourism and managing visitor flows in a way that showcases not only major art cities such as Pisa and Florence, but also the local attractions the Tuscan coast offers.
While new agreements were being signed in Miami with top executives from global shipping companies, the Italian Port Days 2026 initiative was being launched across Italy. It is designed to open ports up to the public, demonstrating the ever-closer bond with their local urban contexts.
“The Port Network Authority’s presence at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami was not merely a symbolic gesture, but a strategic decision aimed at consolidating the role of the North Tyrrhenian Sea as a key gateway to the Mediterranean,” said the PNA’s president, Davide Gariglio, on the sidelines of the event. “The figures forecast for 2026 confirm our port network’s extraordinary resilience and appeal,” he added, highlighting how the Tuscan port system introduced a development model in Miami that combines competitiveness with sustainability: “We are investing heavily in quay electrification and upgrading infrastructure to accommodate the latest generation of ships, whilst reducing their environmental impact on local areas. Our aim is not only to increase traffic volumes, but also to improve the quality of our services through close collaboration between the ports in our network,” he added.
Supporting this strategy to promote local identity and tourism, the PNA had invited the LEM Foundation (Livorno Euro Mediterranea) to be part of the delegation.
“The relationship between the LEM Foundation and the PNA has developed over the last three years through joint initiatives aimed at encouraging cruise passengers to visit the city. It has been further strengthened by the invitation to join us at the Salon Mondial du Tourisme in Paris at the Tuscany stand,” said Adriano Tramonti on the sidelines of the meetings in Miami.
“The Port Network Authority has enabled us to get to know many cruise tour operators, particularly in Livorno,” he added, noting that the PNA and the LEM Foundation – the Destination Management Organization for Livorno’s tourist sector, which also includes the island of Capraia and Collesalvetti – are playing a leading role, together with other organizations along the coast, in a nautical tourism initiative launched by Toscana Promozione Turistica. A partnership “with them working actively together on initiatives designed to maximize Livorno’s potential both as a destination and as a tourist hub providing access to Tuscany, as the Grand Dukes had envisaged from the very moment the city was founded.”
Translation by Giles Foster
