UN/LOCODE: ITNAP📍 Italy
Port of Napoli (UN/LOCODE ITNAP)
❖ Coordinates: 40.8300°N, 14.2500°E
❖ Time Zone: Europe/Rome
❖ UN/LOCODE: ITNAP
## About the Port
The **Port of Napoli** (UN/LOCODE: **ITNAP**) is one of the Mediterranean’s most strategically positioned gateway harbours, serving the Campania region of southern Italy. Situated at **40.83° N, 14.25° E** and operating under the **Europe/Rome** time zone, the port enjoys a natural deep‑water basin that accommodates vessels of up to 300 meter LOA and a draught of 13 m. Managed by the **Port Authority of Naples (Autorità Portuale di Napoli)**, the terminal integrates container, bulk, ro‑ro, and cruise facilities within a compact urban footprint that directly borders the historic city centre. Its proximity to the **Tyrrhenian Sea** and the **Gulf of Naples** provides seamless connectivity to the Southern European hinterland, the Italian high‑speed rail network, and the extensive autostrada system (A3 Salerno‑Napoli). The port’s digital infrastructure adheres to the **European Maritime Single Window** standards, allowing real‑time customs clearance and advanced vessel traffic services (VTS) that reduce turnaround time and enhance safety.
## History
The origins of the Port of Napoli trace back to the **Greek colony of Neapolis** (founded c. 600 BC) where natural harbours facilitated early Mediterranean trade. Throughout the Roman Empire, the harbour was expanded to serve as a logistical hub for grain shipments to Rome. The medieval period saw the port evolve under the Kingdom of Sicily and later the Spanish viceroyalty, with fortified warehouses safeguarding silk and citrus exports. In the 19th century, under the Kingdom of Italy, the port underwent its first modernization, featuring steamship terminals and the installation of the **first electric crane** in Southern Italy (1889).
World War II inflicted severe damage on Napoli’s quays, prompting a post‑war reconstruction programme that introduced roll‑on/roll‑off (ro‑ro) capabilities and a dedicated container terminal in the 1970s. The 1990s marked a pivotal shift toward multimodal integration, highlighted by the 1998 **Port of Naples Development Plan**, which upgraded rail links and introduced the **Napoli Container Terminal (NCT)**, now handling over 2 million TEU annually. Recent investments (2020‑2024) focus on green infrastructure, including shore‑power installations and a pilot **hydrogen‑fuel cell** cargo handling system, positioning Napoli as a benchmark for sustainable Mediterranean ports.
## Infrastructure & Facilities
### Container Terminals
- **Napoli Container Terminal (NCT)** – 12 berths, equipped with post‑panamax gantry cranes (2 × 45 m), Super‑post‑panamax (1 × 55 m), and automated guided vehicles (AGVs).
- **Container Yard** – 850,000 m² of open storage, 45 ha of covered stacks, with a maximum stacking height of 6 × 40‑foot containers.
- **Digital Platforms** – Integrated Terminal Operating System (TOS) linked to the **Port Community System (PCS)** for electronic data interchange (EDI) and blockchain‑based cargo tracking.
### Bulk & General Cargo
- **Dry Bulk Quay** – 4 berths (15 – 30 m draft) servicing grain, cereals, and fertilizers; equipped with continuous ship loaders (up to 2,500 t/h).
- **Liquid Bulk Terminal** – 2 jetties with LNG, petroleum, and chemical storage tanks (total capacity 1.2 million m³) and double‑acting pumps conforming to IMO 2020 sulphur limits.
### Ro‑Ro & Car Terminal
- **Car Terminal** – 6 dedicated ro‑ro berths handling up to 2,500 cars/day, with a 150‑bay parking area and automated traffic management.
- **Passenger & Cruise Facilities** – Two cruise berths (Capodimonte and Bagnoli) serving an average of 1.1 million cruise passengers annually, with integrated baggage handling and customs pre‑clearance.
### Supporting Infrastructure
- **Vessel Traffic Service (VTS)** – Remote‑sensing radar, AIS, and VHF monitoring for the Gulf of Naples, coordinated with the **Italian Navy’s Maritime Command**.
- **Intermodal Connectivity** – Direct rail link (Napoli Centrale–Port) (electrified at 3 kV DC) with a capacity of 12 trainsets/day, and a multimodal logistics park (10 km²) offering warehousing, cold storage, and customs bonded zones.
## Economic Importance
The Port of Napoli operates as a **crucial engine of the Campanian and Southern Italian economies**, contributing approximately **€7 billion** to regional GDP and supporting over **68,000 jobs** (direct and indirect). Its cargo throughput—averaging **48 million tonnes** annually—places it among Italy’s top five ports by volume.
- **Industrial Supply Chain** – The port supplies raw materials to the **steel mills of Taranto**, **petrochemical complexes of Ravenna**, and the **agro‑food sector** in the Agro-Napoletano plain, creating a feedback loop that sustains regional manufacturing.
- **Tourism & Cruise** – Napoli ranks within the top ten European cruise ports, generating €1.3 billion in tourism revenue and fostering ancillary services such as hospitality, retail, and cultural attractions.
- **Trade Balance** – Export values (primarily vehicles, machinery, and food products) exceed €4 billion, while imports (oil, containers, and consumer goods) total €3.2 billion, yielding a favorable trade surplus for the Campania region.
The port’s strategic location also makes it a **logistical hub for EU‑North Africa trade**, facilitating over 3 million TEU of trans‑Mediterranean traffic each year. Its ongoing green initiatives align with the European Union’s **Fit for 55** climate package, attracting EU funding for infrastructure upgrades and reinforcing its competitive edge in the increasingly sustainability‑focused maritime sector.
## Trade Routes & Major Cargo
### Primary Trade Lanes
| Origin/Destination | Main Commodity | Typical Vessel Type |
|--------------------|----------------|---------------------|
| **Asia (China, South Korea, Japan)** | Electronics, automotive components, machinery | Ultra‑large container ships (ULCS) |
| **Europe (Germany, France, Spain)** | Automobiles, pharmaceuticals, processed foods | Ro‑Ro & container vessels |
| **North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt)** | Agricultural products, textiles, LPG | General cargo & bulk carriers |
| **Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia)** | Crude oil, petrochemicals, fertilizers | Very large crude carriers (VLCC) & product tankers |
| **Americas (USA, Brazil)** | Wine, olive oil, specialty foods | Container and refrigerated (reefer) ships |
### Cargo Profile
- **Containers** – ~2.1 million TEU (2023), with a 70 % share of imports (consumer goods, electronics) and 30 % exports (fashion, automotive parts).
- **Dry Bulk** – 18 million t, dominated by cereals (Italian wheat exports) and coal (imported for regional power plants).
- **Liquid Bulk** – 9 million t, principally diesel, gasoline, and LNG for the Campania energy market.
- **Ro‑Ro** – 1.8 million vehicles per year, including the **FIAT 500**, **Ferrari**, and luxury yachts destined for the European market.
- **Cruise & Passenger** – 1.1 million passengers (2023), serving itineraries that connect the Mediterranean’s historical ports (e.g., **Palermo**, **Valletta**, **Barcelona**).
The Port of Napoli’s **intermodal capabilities** enable swift transshipment to inland destinations via the **A3 Autostrada**, the **Italian high‑speed rail network**, and the **Mediterranean Corridor** of the **Trans-European Transport Network (TEN‑T)**. This multimodal synergy ensures that cargo from the port reaches inland markets within **24‑48 hours**, reinforcing Napoli’s role as a **gateway to Southern Europe** and a pivotal node in the **New Silk Road** maritime component.
*For further technical specifications and statutory regulations, consult the International Maritime Organization’s port state control database (IMO Port State Control↗).*
Port Intelligence
UN/LOCODE
ITNAP
Country
Italy
Province / Region
Napoli
Latitude
40.830000
Longitude
14.250000
Timezone
Europe/Rome
Nautical Map (OpenSeaMap)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UN/LOCODE for Port of Napoli?
The official UN/LOCODE for Port of Napoli is ITNAP.
Where is Port of Napoli located?
The Port of Napoli is located in Italy, Napoli. Its coordinates are 40.8300°N, 14.2500°E.
What time zone is Port of Napoli in?
Port of Napoli operates in the Europe/Rome time zone.
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About the World Port Index
This data is sourced programmatically. The UN/LOCODE is the official geographic coding scheme used by the United Nations for trade and transport locations.