Kreuzfahrt-News
Ancona plans new concession for cruise berth 15
04/11/2026
The Port Authority of the Central Adriatic Sea plans to re-award the cruise and ferry berth at Quay 15 in Ancona. A tender is scheduled for November 2026, with the concession to be awarded by February 2027. The project is part of a multi-year plan for the ports of the Marche and Abruzzo regions. For travelers, the key point is that the next steps concern the selection process and responsibility for the berth; no new operator or changes to terminal operations have been confirmed yet.
Tender as the next step
On October 28, the Port Authority approved its operational plan for 2027 to 2029. It announced that Quay 15 would be put out to tender in November, with the aim of awarding the concession by February 2027. The selection process will take place between the tender and the award, and will determine the berth’s future commercial use. The timetable therefore sets out specific next steps in the process, but does not mean that the handover has been completed.
€308 million for the entire port system
The Port Authority’s announcement lists total investments of €308 million. This amount applies to the Central Adriatic Sea port system, with locations in the Marche and Abruzzo regions. It is not a dedicated budget for a new cruise terminal in Ancona. For context on cruise development, the concession for Quay 15 is the specific news; the larger investment figure describes the framework for regional port planning.
Environmental assessment for Molo Clementino still underway
At the same time, the Authority refers to the planned project at Molo Clementino. According to its announcement, the outcome of the environmental assessment is still pending. This status is separate from the announced tender for Quay 15: both matters are part of port development in Ancona, but involve different projects and procedural steps.
Different decisions therefore remain to be followed as port development proceeds. For Quay 15, the issue is the planned selection of a commercial concessionaire and its future responsibilities. For Molo Clementino, the outcome of the environmental assessment is still awaited. The operational plan places these projects within the 2027 to 2029 period. For shore visits in Ancona, the confirmed information for each particular cruise about the berth and passenger arrangements remains decisive.
