EU Transport Commissioner Supports Stronger European Shipbuilding

European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas visited Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard, underscoring the facility’s growing strategic importance as Europe prepares a new Maritime Industrial Strategy for 2026.

During the visit, Fincantieri leadership showcased the yard’s capabilities in building highly complex, high-value vessels and outlined ongoing investments in digitalization, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing. Executives—including CEO Pierroberto Folgiero and Merchant Ships Division General Manager Luigi Matarazzo—stressed the need for Europe to reinforce its shipbuilding competitiveness amid intensifying Asian competition, particularly by reclaiming strategic market segments and accelerating technology development.

Tzitzikostas toured production areas, met workers, and held discussions with Marine Interiors and Fincantieri Ingenium. He highlighted Europe’s “impressive” industrial capabilities and said the forthcoming EU strategy will prioritize competitiveness, resilience, innovation, and technological leadership across the maritime sector.

Monfalcone—Fincantieri’s largest yard and a global reference point for cruise ship construction—anchors a supply chain of 600 regional companies and more than 23,000 workers. The site has recently undergone major upgrades, integrating robotics, digital twins, real-time tracking, augmented reality, and additive manufacturing to boost efficiency and sustainability.

Folgiero described the Commissioner’s visit as an acknowledgment of Fincantieri’s role in the future of European shipbuilding, adding that the Group is ready to contribute to the EU’s long-term industrial roadmap with its extensive supply chain and advanced technological expertise.

Robotics increasingly find a home in the shipbuilding environment. Image courtesty Fincantieri