Citta, porto, lavoro: la regolamentazione del porto di Genova

The authors examine the port of Genoa as case study, in order to outline the impact, on the working conditions and on the labour market, of the regulative powers conferred to port and maritime authorities. The analysis moves from a description of the main characteristics of the port and on the distinction between the port and the city, underlying the reciprocal interferences and conflict of interests between the citizens and the workers implied in the economic activities related to the port. The magnitude of the latter with respect to the urban area, its relevance in the global value chains, the strategic importance for the transports of goods and persons in the Mediterranean area, require a plurality of authoritative and local legal frameworks to ensure the safety and efficiency of the port. This one often prevails over the freedom to conduct businesses or the usual regulation of working conditions and access to the market and can even empower local authorities to inspect foreign-flagged vessels.