THE LARGEST SAILING RACE IN THE WORLD
Trieste, 1 - 12 October 2025
Trieste, 1 - 12 October 2025
Barcolana - News10.10.25
Barcolana Sea Summit - conclusion with focus on Underwater
Final day of the Barcolana Sea Summit, which hosted two important meetings in the Representative Hall of the Regional Palace in Piazza Unità.
The first panel, entitled "National Underwater Dimension Hub: the future of underwater economy between research and innovation", represented a moment of discussion on technological and scientific development in the underwater sector, one year after Friuli Venezia Giulia's adhesion to the National Underwater Dimension Hub (PNS). Participants included: Regional Councillor Alessia Rosolen, Admiral Cristiano Nervi – Director of the Italian Navy's CSSN and PNS Operational Structure, Gabriele Maria Cafaro – Executive Vice President Underwater Fincantieri, Massimo Cavaliere – General Director of the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station in Naples, Ketty Segatti – Director of the specialist operational unit for research, innovation and EU funds of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Giorgio Sulligoi from the University of Trieste.
Following at 11.30am, the meeting "Underwater: economy, defence and protection" explored the strategic role of the underwater sector, highlighting the importance of sustainable development that encompasses security, research and environmental protection. The debate featured participation from journalist Donatella Bianchi and leading figures such as Senator Roberta Pinotti – President of the National Underwater Dimension Hub Foundation, Jessica Battle – Senior Global Ocean Governance and Policy Expert at WWF, Paola Severino – President of LUISS School of Law and the National School of Administration, and Pierroberto Folgiero – CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri.
"Today's reflection was comprehensive," summarised Donatella Bianchi, "on what constitutes the reality of major national and supranational interests regarding the potential exploitation and value of the abyss, of seabeds. This is a delicate topic, but from today's discussion it emerged that sustainability is not just a title, but part of a process of research, development, innovation and is also at the centre of legal attention for what will necessarily be an expected and necessary regulatory development. This was an important discussion for a country that is completely surrounded by the Mediterranean, a small hotspot, not only of biodiversity, but also of major interests, a crossroads of connections and links and invisible interests that lie beneath, perhaps right on the seabeds. We have fought major battles for many years to limit plastic dispersion in nature and to prevent it from ending up in the sea. Now this new moment of attention becomes central. There is a threat that consists of security, necessary for our underwater infrastructure, but it is also necessary for the survival of the most vulnerable species that inhabit our sea."
The first panel, entitled "National Underwater Dimension Hub: the future of underwater economy between research and innovation", represented a moment of discussion on technological and scientific development in the underwater sector, one year after Friuli Venezia Giulia's adhesion to the National Underwater Dimension Hub (PNS). Participants included: Regional Councillor Alessia Rosolen, Admiral Cristiano Nervi – Director of the Italian Navy's CSSN and PNS Operational Structure, Gabriele Maria Cafaro – Executive Vice President Underwater Fincantieri, Massimo Cavaliere – General Director of the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station in Naples, Ketty Segatti – Director of the specialist operational unit for research, innovation and EU funds of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Giorgio Sulligoi from the University of Trieste.
Following at 11.30am, the meeting "Underwater: economy, defence and protection" explored the strategic role of the underwater sector, highlighting the importance of sustainable development that encompasses security, research and environmental protection. The debate featured participation from journalist Donatella Bianchi and leading figures such as Senator Roberta Pinotti – President of the National Underwater Dimension Hub Foundation, Jessica Battle – Senior Global Ocean Governance and Policy Expert at WWF, Paola Severino – President of LUISS School of Law and the National School of Administration, and Pierroberto Folgiero – CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri.
"Today's reflection was comprehensive," summarised Donatella Bianchi, "on what constitutes the reality of major national and supranational interests regarding the potential exploitation and value of the abyss, of seabeds. This is a delicate topic, but from today's discussion it emerged that sustainability is not just a title, but part of a process of research, development, innovation and is also at the centre of legal attention for what will necessarily be an expected and necessary regulatory development. This was an important discussion for a country that is completely surrounded by the Mediterranean, a small hotspot, not only of biodiversity, but also of major interests, a crossroads of connections and links and invisible interests that lie beneath, perhaps right on the seabeds. We have fought major battles for many years to limit plastic dispersion in nature and to prevent it from ending up in the sea. Now this new moment of attention becomes central. There is a threat that consists of security, necessary for our underwater infrastructure, but it is also necessary for the survival of the most vulnerable species that inhabit our sea."
