Helping Italian companies enter the United States through Savannah and American businesses reach Europe through Genoa was one of the objectives discussed as Liguria concluded its three-day mission to Georgia. The final meetings, held in Atlanta at the offices of law firm Miller & Martin, also covered potential air connections, the use of artificial intelligence in logistics and cooperation between technology companies.
Federlogistica-Conftrasporto president Davide Falteri said the work ahead would begin with identifying what businesses need to operate in the two markets. On the Italian side, the focus will be on companies interested in using the Port of Savannah to expand in the United States. For US operators, the discussions concerned Genoa’s role as an entry point to Europe.
Alberto Pozzobon, marketing manager at the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, reported interest in the Ports of Genoa’s connections to the Italian and European economies. He said the meetings in Savannah and Atlanta had helped establish contacts within shipping and port operations, as well as in other industries. Presenting Liguria’s institutions and operators together had allowed the delegation to explain the region’s services and expertise more fully.
The transport discussions also included a meeting between Genoa Airport and Delta Air Lines. Airport general manager Francesco D’Amico said it provided an opportunity to assess possibilities for new connections and present Liguria’s tourism and business travel potential. The airport has been working to strengthen its presence in the North American market, and D’Amico said it would continue following up on the Atlanta meeting in the coming months.
Representatives from Delta, Miller & Martin, Logistics Reply and JAS took part in the opening panel alongside Federlogistica, the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority and Genoa Airport. The session examined how artificial intelligence and automation are changing transport and supply chains.
The second session shifted to manufacturing, technology, consulting and research. Companies and professionals joined representatives from the University of Genoa and FILSE to discuss possible cooperation in technology transfer and international expansion. Two Ligurian businesses, Cactus Holding and Firmamento Technologies, also participated in the Atlanta meetings.
Maria Nives Riggio, FILSE’s deputy general manager, highlighted the discussions with Italian entrepreneurs who had already established operations in the United States. She pointed to Atlanta’s network of business services and support as a resource for Ligurian startups. Several areas of shared activity had emerged during the visit, she said, and FILSE would now work to develop the relationships established there.
The delegation was led by Admiral Massimiliano Nannini, chief of staff to the president of the Liguria Region. It included representatives from Federlogistica, Liguria’s port authorities, the University of Genoa, Genoa Airport, Agenzia in Liguria, Liguria International and FILSE.
Nannini said the next task was to turn the contacts made during the mission into concrete cooperation. The closing discussions addressed the activities needed to continue that work, including a visit to Liguria by a delegation from the State of Georgia that is being planned for 2027.