The port of Trapani, in Sicily, is a primary hub for maritime connections with the Egadi Islands and Pantelleria, and has historically been a reference stop for trade with North African countries, particularly Tunisia.

Location

It is a natural basin with a water surface of about 921,000 m². Its strategic location at the westernmost tip of Sicily has made it over the centuries a crossroads of the Mediterranean Sea. It is equidistant from both the Suez Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar, along east–west routes.

History

The port of Trapani was born as an ancient commercial outlet for Eryx (modern Erice), located on the mountain overlooking Trapani. In ancient times it was used by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, and later Arabs.

After the Normans arrived in Sicily, the port experienced great activity, also thanks to the Crusades. During the Middle Ages, the port was among the most important in the Mediterranean: all the most powerful maritime cities (Genoa, Pisa, Venice, Amalfi) had a consulate in Trapani port, and especially with the first two, Trapani had the agreement to serve as the main stop towards their possessions in North Africa. In 1266, Venetian forces defeated the Genoese fleet, led by Lanfranco Borborino, in the waters of Trapani.

On December 3, 1270, 18 Genoese ships with four thousand men under Ansaldo Doria, during the Second Crusade, were forced to take shelter in the port of Trapani.

In 1273, Lanfranco Pignataro, admiral of the Genoese Republic, entered the port of Trapani, looting it and setting fire to all the ships present. On August 31, 1282, Peter III of Aragon landed there with his fleet, beginning the occupation of Sicily from the Angevins.

In 1535, the Spanish fleet with Charles V landed there, returning from the victory against the Turkish ships.

Fleet and naval history

In the 19th century, an important commercial fleet was stationed in the port, mainly for the traffic of salt to Northern Europe and Marsala wine. Between 1885 and 1908, piers, docks, and quays were built. During World War I, in early 1918, the 14th FBA Section stationed on the islet Zavorra, where French seaplanes were also based, received 3 FBA Type H planes and in July 1918 it became the 284th Squadron of the Aeronautical Service.

In 1935, the Admiralty was completed on Viale Duca d'Aosta. In the 1930s, CANT Z.506 seaplanes of Ala Littoria landed inside the port, providing line connections with Naples and Tunis. During World War II, it was a military port and an important submarine base (base of the VIII group) and also housed the II MAS flotilla.

Postwar period. After the war, important dredging works were carried out.

In December 1957, the ship Citta di Trapani of Tirrenia, heading to Palermo, ran aground on the rocks near the port due to a storm, and during rescue operations a tugboat called Pirano sank as well. Six people died, including the commander of the rescue vessel. Years later, in 1990, during docking, the ferry Espresso Trapani of CONATIR sank, causing 13 passenger deaths.

In 2005, the organizing committee of the 32nd America's Cup chose the port of Trapani as the venue for Acts 8 & 9 of the Louis Vuitton Cup, held there from September 28 to October 9. For this event, several structural and road works were completed, which later generated controversy. Some experts believe that these works—especially the new quay configuration and the installation of related optical signals—made the port approach unsafe. It has been said that the new port structure resulting from the America's Cup works caused serious accidents of the hydrofoils "Giorgione" of Siremar and "Ettore M" of Ustica Lines, which both crashed—one year apart, in August 2007 and August 2008—against the breakwater of the Trapani port.

Cargo traffic

Cargo traffic is around just over three million tons per year.

Passenger traffic

Cruise traffic alone ranges between 100,000 and 500,000 passengers, making it the 13th port in Italy and 3rd in Sicily. Trapani is a boarding port for MSC Cruises and Costa Crociere.

In 2007, it had a total of 854,000 passengers, ranking 25th in Italy for traffic and 2 million tons of cargo. In 2008, 47 cruise ships arrived.