Latest news with #CIPESS
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
2 days ago
- Business
- First Post
Italy approves world's longest suspension bridge connecting Sicily. Why it matters
Italy has approved the construction of the world's longest suspension bridge to connect Sicily with the mainland — an ambitious plan decades in the making. While hailed as a strategic and economic game-changer, the €13.5 billion (15.8 billion USD) Messina Strait Bridge faces environmental opposition, seismic safety concerns and scrutiny over mafia infiltration read more A general view shows the Strait of Messina, Italy, August 5, 2025. The area is part of the planned site for a suspension bridge connecting Sicily to mainland Italy, with construction expected to begin in the second half of 2025. Reuters Italy's government has officially granted approval for the construction of the world's longest single-span suspension bridge, connecting the island of Sicily to the mainland. The Wednesday announcement signals the furthest progress in a plan that has been debated for more than five decades. Spearheaded by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration, the bridge is now moving toward the construction phase, with a target completion date of 2032. While the project is being promoted as a transformative undertaking for Italy's infrastructure, regional development, and military mobility, it is not without substantial opposition — from environmentalists and fiscal watchdogs to civil society groups. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How did the megaproject come about? The idea of physically linking Sicily to mainland Italy dates back to antiquity, with tales of raft crossings recorded as early as 252 BC. Over time, the concept transitioned from legend to national aspiration. Following Italy's unification in the 19th century, the need to integrate the southern regions gained political momentum. By 1969, the Italian government began formally exploring options for a bridge across the Strait of Messina. A woman walks with her dog along the Sicilian coast with the Calabrian shoreline visible across the Strait of Messina, Italy, August 5, 2025. The area is part of the planned site for a suspension bridge connecting Sicily to mainland Italy, with construction expected to begin in the second half of 2025. Reuters Though proposals were entertained by successive administrations, actual execution proved elusive. The bridge has been proposed, modified, cancelled, and revived several times. Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi signed the first major contract for the structure in 2005, valued at €3.9 billion. However, the project stalled when his government fell soon afterward. A second push during his return to power also failed, and the plan was shelved again in 2011 amidst Italy's financial turmoil during the eurozone debt crisis. After decades of delays, the current administration led by Meloni brought the project back into focus in 2023. Now, in 2025, with the approval granted by Italy's Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development (CIPESS), the bridge project has reached its most advanced stage yet. 'It is not an easy task but we consider it an investment in Italy's present and future, and we like difficult challenges when they make sense,' Meloni remarked at the CIPESS meeting, according to a statement from her office. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What will the bridge look like? The bridge will stretch a total length of approximately 3.7 kilometres (2.3 miles), with a suspended span of 3.3 kilometres (more than 2 miles). This span length would surpass the current world record held by the Canakkale Bridge in Turkey, opened in 2022, by over 1,200 metres. Once completed, it will become the longest single-span suspension bridge on the planet. This digital rendering shows a bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily, a long-delayed 13.5 billion euro ($15.5 billion) project, August 6, 2025. Webuild – Eurolink Image Library via AP The structure will feature three vehicular lanes in each direction, flanked by a double-track railway. The capacity is set at 6,000 vehicles per hour and 200 train crossings per day. The reduction in travel time will be substantial: what currently requires up to 100 minutes by ferry — including boarding and disembarkation — will be shortened to 10 minutes by car. Train journeys will save approximately two and a half hours. The bridge is being constructed by the Eurolink consortium, which won the contract through an international bidding process. The group is led by Webuild, Italy's largest construction firm. Its partners include Spanish company Sacyr and Japanese engineering group IHI. Each partner brings extensive experience with large-scale infrastructure projects. Webuild is involved in the NEOM project in Saudi Arabia, Sacyr participated in the expansion of the Panama Canal, and IHI has worked on notable bridges such as the Akashi Kaikyō in Japan and the Osman Gazi Bridge in Turkey. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The design for the Messina Bridge incorporates engineering solutions tailored for complex environments. According to Webuild, the aerodynamic profile of the bridge will resemble the fuselage of a fighter aircraft, with wind-permeable deck openings to ensure structural stability during storms or seismic events. The bridge's suspension structure is deemed less vulnerable to earthquakes, a critical factor given the region's seismic history. A boost for southern Italy's economy? For decades, the Mezzogiorno — the southern portion of Italy, including Sicily — has trailed the more industrialised north in terms of development, employment and investment. The Meloni government argues that a direct road and rail link between Sicily and the rest of Italy will help bridge that gap, attracting investment, reducing transportation costs, and integrating the region into the national economy. Currently, vehicles and trains must use ferry services to traverse the strait. Trains in particular undergo a laborious process of being loaded onto ferry vessels, which can extend the journey by two hours or more. Peak times exacerbate this delay for cars and trucks, making logistics and commuting both slow and inefficient. Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini has championed the project from the outset, calling it 'an absolutely fascinating engineering project' and adding that it 'will be transformative for the whole country.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From left: Italian undersecretary Alessandro Morelli, Italian Vice Premier and Minister of Transport Matteo Salvini and businessman Pietro Ciucci pose for photographers at the end of a press conference in Rome, August 6, 2025. AP The government has committed €13.5 billion over the next decade for the bridge and its related infrastructure, a sharp increase from initial estimates two decades ago. Webuild has projected that more than 100,000 jobs will be created during the construction phase, both directly and through associated industries. What is the Nato connection? Officials plan to categorise the bridge under Nato-aligned defence infrastructure. Italy has pledged to boost defence spending to 5 per cent of its GDP by 2035, including a 1.5 per cent allocation specifically for strategic structures. A report published in April by Italian authorities stated that the bridge 'constitutes a fundamental infrastructure with respect to military mobility,' especially considering the nearby Nato installations. It also highlighted the 'growing role of the Mediterranean as a geopolitically sensitive area.' At the Nato summit in June, Meloni cited increasing Russian activities in the Mediterranean and North Africa as a justification for advancing the bridge, remarking, 'We see Russia increasingly projecting itself into the Mediterranean… There are many hybrid threats, many hostile actors operating on the southern flank of the [NATO] alliance.' Salvini supported this view, saying, 'It is obvious that it is dual-use and can therefore be used for security reasons too.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, he added that the final classification would depend on assessments by the defence and economy ministries. Despite government enthusiasm, not everyone is convinced of its strategic utility. Alessandro Marrone, head of the defence program at the Rome-based Institute for International Affairs, argued that the security rationale might be exaggerated. He explained that in the event of a military threat from Russia, troop deployment from Italy would more likely occur via the Adriatic Sea, airports, or alpine routes. 'If you have to go east, it's either via the Adriatic, via plane, or via the Alps,' Marrone told the Financial Times. In fact, a group of over 600 Italian academics signed an open letter opposing the bridge's military classification, warning that such a designation could make the bridge a legitimate target in the event of conflict. Italian General Gualtiero Corsini raised similar concerns as early as 1987, stating that suspension bridges were 'the highest vulnerability' among all connection options and would necessitate anti-aircraft and missile defences. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Marrone agreed that, if deemed a strategic military asset, the bridge would require protection but doubted it would be a high-priority military target. 'It's an easy target from a symbolic or political point of view — it will hit the headlines,' he said. What challenges does the bridge face? Critics cite the seismic risk of the region, potential disruption to migratory birds, marine ecosystems, and the lack of comprehensive impact assessments. Earlier this week, multiple environmental associations filed a formal complaint with the European Union, arguing that the project fails to meet the legal standards of public necessity and does not provide sufficient guarantees that any damage to the environment would be mitigated. Citizen groups in Messina have also voiced their discontent. 'CIPESS is a biased arbiter, we hope that real arbiters - third party figures, the Court of Auditors, the EU, the judiciary - will come and stop this game, which is devastating for our territory,' Daniele Ialacqua, a prominent anti-bridge campaigner, told Reuters. Opposition is also building locally, as construction will require substantial urban transformation in Messina. The train station is to be relocated, and some neighbourhoods will face demolition to make way for approach roads and rail lines. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Concerns about organised crime infiltrating the project have also surfaced. Southern Italy has long contended with the influence of mafia networks, particularly in public procurement. In response, Meloni mandated that the bridge project remain under the jurisdiction of national anti-mafia laws, rejecting early proposals to assign oversight solely to the Interior Ministry. Salvini pledged strict enforcement of anti-mafia measures and indicated that the government would adopt procedures similar to those used for the Milan Expo 2015 and the upcoming Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. 'We need to pay attention so that the entire supply chain is impermeable to bad actors,' he said. Although preliminary works such as archaeological and geological surveys are now authorised, actual construction is pending final validation from the Court of Auditors. A source familiar with the process told Reuters that the review could take several weeks. Salvini expressed hope that land expropriations and physical construction would begin in September or October this year. With inputs from agencies


Daily Tribune
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Italy approves plans for world's longest suspension bridge
TDT | Italy approves plans for world's longest suspension bridge Rome, Italy Italy's government yesterday approved a controversial 13.5-billion-euro ($15.6-billion) project to build what would be the world's longest suspension bridge connecting the island of Sicily to the mainland. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition hailed the state-funded project as an economic boost for the impoverished south of Italy -- only for critics to warn that it risks turning into a financial black hole. Italian politicians have for decades debated a bridge over the Strait of Messina, a narrow strip of water between the island of Sicily and the region of Calabria, at the toe of Italy's boot. But ministers say Wednesday's approval by a government committee, CIPESS, is the furthest the project has ever got. Advocates say the bridge, due for completion by 2032, is at the cutting edge of engineering, able to withstand high winds and earthquakes in a region that lies across two tectonic plates.

Kuwait Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Kuwait Times
Italy approves plans for world's longest suspension bridge
ROME: Italy's government on Wednesday approved a controversial 13.5-billion-euro ($15.6-billion) project to build what would be the world's longest suspension bridge connecting the island of Sicily to the mainland. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition hailed the state-funded project as an economic boost for the impoverished south of Italy—only for critics to warn that it risks turning into a financial black hole. Italian politicians have for decades debated a bridge over the Strait of Messina, a narrow strip of water between the island of Sicily and the region of Calabria, at the toe of Italy's boot. But ministers say Wednesday's approval by a government committee, CIPESS, is the furthest the project has ever got. Advocates say the bridge, due for completion by 2032, is at the cutting edge of engineering, able to withstand high winds and earthquakes in a region that lies across two tectonic plates. It has been designed with two railway lines in the middle and three lanes of traffic on either side, with a suspended span of 3.3 kilometers (2.05 miles) -- a world record—stretching between two 400-metre (1,300 feet) high towers. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who is also responsible for transport and infrastructure, told reporters work could begin as soon as September or October. He said the bridge and the associated new roads, railways and stations would act as a 'development accelerator' for impoverished Sicily and Calabria, boosting economic growth and creating tens of thousands of jobs, many of them skilled. Yet the project has sparked local protests over the environmental impact and the cost, with critics saying the money could be better spent elsewhere. Nicola Fratoianni, an MP of the Greens and Left Alliance, slammed a 'mega-project that will divert a huge amount of public resources' and 'risks turning into a gigantic black hole'. The Italian Court of Auditors has criticized the extent of debt-laden state's investment in this one project in its assessment of the 2024 budget. The center-left Democratic Party warned that the project 'tramples environmental, safety and European norms—and common sense'.—AFP The public prosecutor of Messina also recently warned of the risk that organized crime would benefit from the project. Salvini on Wednesday insisted the government would do everything to prevent mafia infiltration. The longest suspended bridge in the world is currently the 1915 Canakkale Bridge in Turkey, which has a main span of 2.023 kilometers (1.257 miles) between its towers and opened in 2022. Many believe that Italy's ambitious project will never actually materialize, pointing to a long history of public works announced, financed, yet never completed in Italy. The project has had several false starts, with the first plans drawn up more than 50 years ago. Eurolink, a consortium led by Italian group Webuild, won the tender in 2006 only for the government to cancel it after the eurozone debt crisis. The consortium remains the contractor on the revived project. This time, Rome may have an added incentive to press ahead—by classifying the cost of the bridge as defence spending. Italy has agreed along with other NATO allies to massively increase its defense expenditure to five percent of GDP, at the demand of US President Donald Trump. Of this, 1.5 percent can be spent on 'defence-related' areas such as cybersecurity and infrastructure—and Rome is hoping the Messina bridge will qualify, particularly as Sicily hosts a NATO base. Currently the only way to cross the Messina Strait is by ferry, taking at least an hour by car and two on the train—where individual carriages are loaded onto the ferry—but the bridge aims to cut journey times to 10 and 15 minutes, respectively. Meloni insisted Wednesday it was a 'demonstration of Italy's willpower and technical expertise' that would 'form the backbone of a faster and more modern nation'. – AFP


Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
World's longest suspension bridge to be built between Italy and Sicily - with £12BILLION plan approved 2,000 years after it was first dreamed up
The Italian government has given final approval to a £12billion project to build the world's largest suspension bridge that will connect Sicily to the mainland. The 2.3 mile Strait of Messina Bridge had been held up for decades over mafia infiltration, earthquake, and financial concerns. But Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni yesterday declared it was an investment in Italy's present and future and added: 'We like difficult challenges when they make sense.' Work is expected to be completed by 2032 and the bridge will be held up by four main steel cables measuring 1.26 metres in diameter. The project has faced stiff opposition from those who question the wisdom of building such a bridge in an earthquake zone. Many also fear cost overruns, possible environmental damage and mafia infiltration in construction contracts. The bridge will measure 60 metres wide and will have six traffic lanes, two railway tracks, two service lanes, and will be supported by two towers standing 399 metres high. Some citizens' groups opposed to the bridge say it is unnecessary, and environmental associations this week filed a complaint with the European Union, flagging serious risks for the local environment. They have argued there are threats to birds migrating between Europe and Africa, while it is also located in one of the most seismically active areas in the Mediterranean. 'CIPESS is a biased arbiter, we hope that real arbiters - third party figures, the Court of Auditors, the EU, the judiciary - will come and stop this game, which is devastating for our territory,' no-bridge campaigner Daniele Ialacqua told Reuters. Yet the bridge also has strong support from those who believe a fast rail and road connection will provide a much-needed boost to Sicily and the rest of Italy's southern regions. The current ferry crossing takes about 20 minutes, plus boarding and disembarkation which can require hours at peak times. Trains to and from Sicily are also taken onboard ferries, in a process that takes around two hours. Italy is seeking to categorise investment in the bridge as part of defence spending, which would help it meet pledges by NATO countries to boost military budgets to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035. Matteo Salvini, leader of the co-ruling League party and Transport Minister said the infrastructure would have both civilian and military purposes. 'It is obvious that it is dual-use and can therefore be used for security reasons too,' he said in a press conference. The Strait of Messina Bridge Project was awarded to the Eurolink consortium following an international tender. The bridge will measure 60 metres wide and will have six traffic lanes, two railway tracks, two service lanes, and will be supported by two towers standing 399 metres high Italy's largest construction company, Webuild, leads the consortium, which includes Spanish group Sacyr and Japan's IHI. According to the Messina Strait Company, Wednesday's approval will allow the start of preliminary works, including archaeological and geological surveys. Land expropriations will also be authorised. The Court of Auditors, however, will first need to validate the committee's decision. A source close to the matter said this could take a few weeks, and Salvini said work could start in September-October.

News.com.au
2 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Italy plans world's longest bridge connecting Sicily to mainland
Italy's government has announced it will build the 'biggest infrastructure project in the West' as it unveiled plans for the world's longest suspension bridge. The government on Wednesday approved a controversial €13.5 billion ($24 billion) project to build what the Strait of Messina Bridge connecting the island of Sicily to the mainland. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition hailed the state-funded project as an economic boost for the impoverished south of Italy – only for critics to warn that it risks turning into a financial black hole. Italian politicians have for decades debated a bridge over the Strait of Messina, a narrow strip of water between the island of Sicily and the region of Calabria, at the toe of Italy's boot. But ministers say Wednesday's approval by a government committee, CIPESS, is the furthest the project has ever got. Advocates say the bridge, due for completion by 2032, is at the cutting edge of engineering, able to withstand high winds and earthquakes in a region that lies across two tectonic plates. Preliminary works could begin next month with full construction to start next year, once the project receives official sign off. It has been designed with two railway lines in the middle and three lanes of traffic on either side, with a suspended span of 3.3 kilometres – a world record – stretching between two 400m high towers. It would have car lanes in each direction and a double-track railway, allowing capacity for 6000 cars an hour and 200 trains per day – slashing travel time from 100 minutes by ferry to 10 minutes by car. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who is also responsible for transport and infrastructure, told reporters work could begin as soon as September or October. He said the bridge and the associated new roads, railways and stations would act as a 'development accelerator' for impoverished Sicily and Calabria, boosting economic growth and creating tens of thousands of jobs, many of them skilled. 'From a technical standpoint, it's an absolutely fascinating engineering project,' he said, adding it could create 120,000 jobs. Yet the project has sparked local protests over the environmental impact and the cost, with critics saying the money could be better spent elsewhere. Nicola Fratoianni, an MP of the Greens and Left Alliance, slammed a 'mega-project that will divert a huge amount of public resources' and 'risks turning into a gigantic black hole'. The Italian Court of Auditors has criticised the extent of debt-laden state's investment in this one project in its assessment of the 2024 budget. The centre-left Democratic Party warned that the project 'tramples environmental, safety and European norms – and common sense'. The public prosecutor of Messina also recently warned of the risk that organised crime would benefit from the project. Salvini on Wednesday insisted the government would do everything to prevent mafia infiltration. NATO spending The longest suspended bridge in the world is currently the 1915 Canakkale Bridge in Turkey, which has a main span of 2.023 kilometres between its towers and opened in 2022. Many believe that Italy's ambitious project will never actually materialise, pointing to a long history of public works announced, financed, yet never completed in Italy. The project has had several false starts, with the first plans drawn up more than 50 years ago. Eurolink, a consortium led by Italian group Webuild, won the tender in 2006 only for the government to cancel it after the eurozone debt crisis. The consortium remains the contractor on the revived project. This time, Rome may have an added incentive to press ahead – by classifying the cost of the bridge as defence spending. Italy has agreed along with other NATO allies to massively increase its defence expenditure to five per cent of GDP, at the demand of US President Donald Trump. Of this, 1.5 per cent can be spent on 'defence-related' areas such as cybersecurity and infrastructure – and Rome is hoping the Messina bridge will qualify, particularly as Sicily hosts a NATO base. Currently the only way to cross the Messina Strait is by ferry, taking at least an hour by car and two on the train — where individual carriages are loaded onto the ferry – but the bridge aims to cut journey times to 10 and 15 minutes, respectively. Meloni insisted Wednesday it was a 'demonstration of Italy's willpower and technical expertise' that would 'form the backbone of a faster and more modern nation'.