Contship Among the Promoters of A Bridge To Africa: New Italy-North Africa Synergies for Development and Economic Cooperation  

The event, scheduled in La Spezia, explores new business and cooperation opportunities. Industrialization, energy and digital transition, logistics, and infrastructure are the key topics on the agenda.  

The inaugural edition of A Bridge To Africa will take place on Thursday, November 14, and Friday, November 15, at the Giorgio Bucchioni Auditorium of the Eastern Ligurian Sea Port Authority. This event is dedicated to strengthening economic cooperation between Italy and North African countries, particularly Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia.  

Contship, alongside other partners from the La Spezia port cluster, is among the event’s promoters, which takes place thanks to a collaboration between the public and private sectors. Two days of conferences and networking opportunities to promote new business ventures and explore avenues of cooperation and development within the framework of the Mattei Plan. Through debates, expert panels, and institutional meetings, A Bridge To Africa seeks to provide fresh perspectives on crucial topics such as energy transition, maritime logistics, and infrastructure.  

“We have been investing significantly in the North African region for years and plan further developments in this strategic area. We firmly believe the Mediterranean will play a central role in future global trade. Cooperation between Italy and North African countries represents not only an opportunity to expand our operations but also a fundamental step toward shared economic growth. A Bridge To Africa will serve as the ideal platform to explore new synergies,” stated Matthieu Gasselin, CEO of Contship Italia. 

The event will open with a session featuring researchers, analysts, and entrepreneurs who will analyze the geopolitical context and economic relations between Italy and Africa, concluding with a focus on the Mattei Plan and its prospects for international cooperation. The day will continue with “The African Economic Revolution and Its Opportunities as seen by the Protagonists”, a session where delegations from Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia will provide an in-depth look at their national economies. In the afternoon, space will also be given to Italian companies operating in North Africa, through a discussion table featuring local and international businesses. Among the speakers will be representatives from the Damietta and Tangier terminals, companies affiliated with the Contship Group.  

On Friday, November 15, following opening remarks by Edoardo Rixi, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, the agenda will focus on three main moments: an in-depth look at the energy-chemical sector and emerging data transportation, and two roundtable discussions titled “The La Spezia maritime cluster looks to Africa” and ” International logistics companies and the African opportunities”. These sessions will include logistics operators and key players in Italy-North Africa import-export activities, including Contship.