The Port of Naples is the capital of the Campania region in southern Italy. It lies on Italy’s west coast about 193 kilometers south of Rome. Napoli lies between two volcanic areas - Mount Vesuvius (last erupted in 1944) and the Plegraean Fields. Further, a 1980 earthquake damaged some of the area. Since then, the area west of Naples has suffered from rises and falls of the land.

During Rome’s rule, the Port of Naples joined Rome in the war against Carthage. Its walls stopped Hannibal from conquering Napoli. Valued by Rome as a center of Greek culture, the people maintained Greek customs and language, and several emperors vacationed in the Port of Naples. When Christianity came to Rome, both St. Peter and St. Paul are believed to have preached there. Naples’ patron saint, St. Januarius, was martyred there.

After the decline of Rome’s western empire, the Germanic Ostrogoths captured the Port of Naples. But in 536 AD, the Byzantine Empire took Napoli. Struggle for control of the city continued for many years. When Byzantine influence waned, the Duchy of Naples was created, and it continued to prize its Greco-Roman history. By the late 8th Century, the Port of Naples was allied with Rome’s papacy. The Port of Naples gained complete independence by 840.

In the 11th Century, the Port of Naples employed Norman mercenaries to battle their rivals. One hundred years later, the Normans took control of Napoli. Under Norman rule, the Port of Naples became a member of the Hanseatic cities and enjoyed great prosperity. In the 13th Century, during the reign of Charles I of Anjou, the port grew rapidly and many new buildings were constructed. In 1501, it came under the rule of Louis XII of France, and the Neopolitan king was taken prisoner. This was short-lived, however, as Napoli soon came under the rule of the Spanish Empire.

Even after rule passed to Spain, construction continued with new warehouses, storage areas, factories, and fortifications. In the 18th Century, the dynasty of the Bourbons brought new prosperity, and the Port of Naples became one of the great capitals of Europe, along with Paris and London. A shipyard was created there, and the first steamship on the Mediterranean set out from the Port in 1818.

The Port of Naples went into a time of decline after the 1861 unification of Italy. The government siphoned Naples’ banks into the national treasury, and as many as 4 million people left the area. Revival finally came in the early 20th Century.

The World War II period saw the Port of Naples as the primary link between Italy and its colonies. New infrastructure was installed, including the harbor station. Neapolitans did not rebel under Mussilini’s fascism, but they were the first to rebel against German occupation. Then after the war, the Port of Naples was the main disembarkation point for Italians leaving for a new future in America.

Of all Italian cities, Naples was the most bombed during the war. Italy’s government provided funding from the 1950s to the 1980s that helped improve the economy. Today, Naples still faces challenges from high unemployment and landfill management problems.

In 2003, over 19.5 million tons of passed through the Port of Naples, including 6.3 million tons of liquid bulk, 5.6 million tons of roll-on/roll-off cargo, 4.2 million tons of solid bulk, and 3.6 million tons of containerized cargo.

Facilities at the Port of Naples include two terminals for cellulose and timber, two terminals for cereals, three container terminals, and one specialized roll-on/roll-off cargo. The oil wet dock and Flavio Gioia Wharf handle liquid bulk cargo, almost half of which is refined products, particularly gas. Container traffic goes through the Bausan and Flavio Gioia wharves and the Calata Pollena Quay. A new quay effectively doubled the area available and provided mooring space for two post-Panamax vessels.

The shipyards and shipbuilding are important sectors in the Port of Naples’ economy. Employing over 1500 people, the port shipyards include three brick docks and four floating docks. Four big companies and 60 smaller workshops repair ships. In 2003, the shipyards worked on over one thousand vessels.

The Port of Naples offers an almost endless variety of sights and activities. The heart of Napoli is its historic center, declared a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO. Underground Naples hides almost 80 kilometers of caves that have been in use since 400 BC. You can visit the Italy Guides website for tourist information on the Port of Naples.

The Port of Naples houses the biggest, most important archeological museum in Europe. It contains not only most of the artifacts and findings from Pompeii but a luxurious setting for enjoying some of the finest Italian paintings and a fantastic view of the Bay of Naples. Only 22 kilometers from the Port of Naples are the excavations of Pompeii, the city Mount Vesuvius destroyed in 79 AD, burying most poor souls alive and covering the city with a three-foot layer of ash. Even nearer, Herculaneum was buried under a stream of mud and lava, and many travelers prefer this well-preserved reminder of the fragility of human life.