PORT VOICES

Giuseppe Ciccarelli, Director of the Taranto Customs and Monopolies Office, describes the mission of this state agency and its operations, which are to facilitate the trade in legal goods on the one hand, and to combat the trafficking of illegal goods on the other.

Cosima Bernardi, Deputy Commissioner of the Taranto Border Police, tells us how work in the port has changed since Italy joined the Schengen countries (an area in which internal borders have been abolished since 1997) to the present day.

Pierpaolo Patrizietti, commander of the Taranto fire brigade, describes the work of the various units of the fire brigade’s port detachment, which, as well as the land-based fires, deals with fires and rescues at sea , thanks also to the support of a team of divers.

Gianni Puglisi, a long-time captain and president of the Taranto Mooring Cooperative, describes the work of the moorers as “one of the most beautiful jobs in the world”.

Salvatore Eligio, the Chief of the port’s Pilots, describes the work of the pilot who guides ships both in and out of the port. He highlights the importance of his task and the commitment it requires for the safety of seafarers and ships.

Cosimo Pignatelli, President of the Boatmen’s Group Cooperative Society, describes the work of the boatman, a sort of taxi driver of the sea.

Gaetano Raguseo, Head of the Taranto Operations Base of Neapolitan Tugboats, describes the complex work of towing large ships within the port area.

Giuseppe Melucci, President of the RACCOMAR Association of Taranto, tells us about a very special job: the shipping agent, a complex figure who is vital for linking a ship to the services within the port.

The former shipping agent Valentino Gennarini, born in 1928, talks about his long career in the port and how he dealt with the crisis in port traffic. Despite the difficulties, he always did his utmost for the common good and for those in need.

Michele Conte, former President of the Port Authority of Taranto, retraces the years he lived in the port since he was a Navy Officer. “The port is my life”: with these words begins a story full of emotion on the rebirth and growth of the Ionian port.

Adolfo Melucci, a former port worker, talks about his 40 years in the port of Taranto, where he had the opportunity to grow even humanly and to understand how important it is for a city to have a port that works.

Gianfranco Gisonda, a member of the staff of the Ionian Sea Port System Authority – Port of Taranto, outlines the changes in the “Taranto” dock, the historic core of the port, describing the new “waterfront” project.

Francesco Argento, Managing Director of Ecotaras Spa, talks about the attention paid to environmental sustainability in all potentially polluting operations of the port.

Alfredo Scarci of the port company Triton, which operates within the port area, describes how cargo is transported inside the ships’ holds to ensure the safety of the ship and the goods.

Letizia Todaro, Security Guard at VIS Vigilanza, tells us about her enriching experience of working in the port of Taranto.

Arnaldo De Vitis, sole Director of De Vitis Trasporti Sud, with his sons Piergiorgio and Marzio, describes the family business, which from 1920 has dealt with logistics and transportation for customs warehouses, including refrigerated products in cold stores.