Catania, 24 October 2025 – During the 12th edition of Italian Port Days, held in Catania and organised by the Port System Authority of Eastern Sicily, a member of MedCruise, Laura Cimaglia, Vice-President of MedCruise and Director for Port & Cities Relations and representative of the Port of Taranto, underlined the association’s strong commitment to communication, environmental responsibility and the sustainable relationship between ports and cities.
Representing MedCruise President Theodora Riga, Ms Cimaglia thanked Francesco di Cesare, President of Risposte Turismo, for the invitation and praised the ongoing collaboration between MedCruise and Italy’s cruise port community.
“MedCruise brings together 160 ports and more than 55 associate members in 22 countries and three continents,” she said. “Diversity is not just our motto, it’s our strength.”
In her dual role as Vice-President and Director for Port & Cities Relations, Cimaglia coordinates MedCruise’s initiatives focused on dialogue between ports, cities and communities and promotes environmental and social sustainability as key pillars of responsible cruise development.
She also leads and contributes to working groups dedicated to communication, sustainability and port–city relations, carried out in close cooperation with international organisations such as AIVP (the Worldwide Network of Port Cities) and other industry partners.
“Our goal is to share knowledge, best practices and real examples of positive coexistence between cruise activity and urban life,” she noted.
Cimaglia works alongside Cristina De Gregori (Ports of Genoa and Savona) and Valeria Mangiarotti (Ports of Sardinia) to enhance MedCruise’s communication and sustainability strategies. She highlighted that economic, environmental and social sustainability remain central to all MedCruise initiatives.
“Not all ports face the same challenges but one principle unites us all: sustainability,” she concluded.
About MedCruise
The Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports.
The mission of MedCruise is to promote the cruise industry in the Mediterranean and its adjoining seas. The Association assists its members in benefiting from the growth of the cruise industry by providing networking, promotional, as well as professional development opportunities.
Established in Rome on the 11th of June 1996, by a collaborative agreement between 16 ports in seven different countries, the MedCruise membership spreads today in 22 countries and is located in three different continents, Africa, Asia and Europe. MedCruise represents 160 cruise ports and more than 55 associate members.
