The floating pontoon "Campania" at the port of Pozzuoli is operational again after being struck by a ferry during a berthing maneuver.
The structure, installed at the Emporio Ovest quay, supports boarding and disembarking operations for connections to Ischia and Procida. Those operations had become more difficult because of bradyseism, the gradual uplift of the ground affecting the Campi Flegrei area.
After the collision, technicians from Rina carried out a structural check. The pontoon was then realigned with the quay before returning to service.
Why the pontoon was installed
The pontoon was built to compensate for the rise in ground level caused by bradyseism. Changes in the height relationship between the quay and vessels can complicate vehicle and passenger movements on and off ferries.
Its position at Emporio Ovest places it directly in the boarding area used for the Ischia and Procida routes from Pozzuoli.
A troubled path to operation
The installation went through a suspension and safety phase before receiving authorization for use.
Work had previously been suspended following an incident on 25 March. The regional authorities then set a programme that envisaged completion of the safety work by mid-June and completion of the project by the end of June. The acquired sources distinguish that March construction-site incident from the later collision with a ferry, but they do not clarify whether the two events were connected.
Stress tests with heavy vehicles
Functional testing included the passage of articulated lorries across the structure. That test is directly relevant to daily port use, because freight vehicles are among the users affected when the pontoon is unavailable.
The sources do not specify whether the pontoon is now operating without restrictions for all types of vessels.
Disruption for operators
The temporary unavailability of the pontoon created additional difficulties for shipping companies and hauliers using Pozzuoli.
No further details are available in the acquired sources about the exact date of the ferry collision, the length of the interruption, the name of the ferry involved, the extent of any damage, or the cost of the restoration work.
