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Work: port, shipbuilding, high technology and cruises

The port of Genoa and Prà is Italy's leading container port; around it work logistics, freight forwarders, shipbuilding (Fincantieri), energy and rail (Ansaldo Energia, Hitachi Rail), defence (Leonardo), technology (IIT, Erzelli) and cruises (Costa, MSC). An average job market, with demand for engineers and technical profiles.

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Port and sea

The Port System Authority of the Western Ligurian Sea runs the ports of Genoa, Prà, Savona and Vado: the system is one of Italy's main ones for containers and among the first for cruises and ferries. The port economy employs terminal operators, freight forwarders, shipping agencies, logistics, customs and specialised legal and insurance services. Shipbuilding is concentrated at Sestri Ponente (Fincantieri) and in the port's ship-repair yards; Costa Crociere is headquartered in Genoa and MSC has major offices here.

Industry and technology

Genoese industry is made of large groups: Ansaldo Energia (turbines), Hitachi Rail (signalling and rolling stock), Leonardo (defence electronics), Esaote (medical diagnostics). High technology is growing on the Erzelli hill, the Great Campus hosting ICT companies, IIT laboratories and the new home of the Polytechnic School; the Italian Institute of Technology, based at Morego, is the country's leading research centre in robotics and nanotechnology. Tourism and catering weigh heavily in the old town and on the Riviera.

Job market

The provincial employment rate is in line with the North-West average and unemployment is contained, but the city loses young graduates to Milan. The Genoa Chamber of Commerce publishes business data and runs services for those starting a business. Coworking spaces are in the centre, at the Porto Antico and at Erzelli; many port and industrial companies require fluent Italian, while English suffices in research and in technology multinationals.

Missing: employment_rate, unemployment_rate

Sources

Camera di Commercio di Genova· Camera di Commercio di Genova

Updated: 2026-10-14

Updated: 2026-10-14

AdSP Mar Ligure Occidentale – comunicato del 4 febbraio 2026: 2.999.486 TEU nel 2025 (via Assoporti)· Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mar Ligure Occidentale / Assoporti

Updated: 2026-10-14

Reviewed: 10/23/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-04-30

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