Panorama of the old city from the west side
first 20th century
Maritime Military Arsenal
The census of industries and factories in 1911 indicated an increase in the number of businesses and the number of workers for Taranto, but also a high concentration of mechanisation. During these years, with war in Libya approaching, Taranto assisted in creating a number of small private mechanical workshops to support the Arsenal, which were granted naval contracts to produce equipment more cheaply or more conveniently than within the Arsenal.
The first consortium among mussel farmers was formed in 1906 following a general revival of the activities of aquaculture and fisheries. From this was created a cooperative for mussel and oyster farmers and fishermen.
In 1913 fishing rights on the Mar Piccolo were leased to the Municipality of Taranto and sub-leased to the local cooperative of fishermen and marine workers by public auction.
The industrial structure of the city was highly improved and extended immediately before the war by the establishment of the Franco Tosi shipyards.The new yards were situated on the northern shore of Mar Piccolo.
Stairs to Villa Peripato
demolished and replaced in 1938
During the first half of the 20th century two phenomena dominated:
- Mechanical industrialisation, completely detached from the economic hinterland and from the commercial suburbs, prevented any kind of rural development ;
- The well-being of the city became related closely to the Arsenal, and so prosperity and high employment characterised pre-war periods, while decline was a symptom of post-war.
The 1950s and the 1960s were characterised by varied attempts to recover from post-war decline. Some of the shipyards which had collaborated with the Arsenal tried to diversify their activity (repairing equipment for the railways, demolishing naval ships). Meanwhile, the marshes, characterising the rural panorama, were reclaimed and became productive, while rural laws were modernised to permit new activities. An attempt to attract tourists and revive maritime resources was also a sign of a change, but with little success.
Mar Piccolo and the new waterfront
(first 30s)
A key event in 1960 was the construction of an iron and steel plant, one of the biggest in Europe, between Mar Grande and Mar Piccolo.
Taranto is now a primary port for importing raw materials and exporting iron products, and also for the import and export of oils for a new refinery opened by Shell.
In 1975 the Italsider became a huge factory extending over 15 million square metres. In June 1977 an agreement was reached to construct harbour works and a multi-purpose pier, together with a plan for agriculture; a development agreed by various social agencies to increase production.
After 1990, due to industrial crises and new priorities linked with environmental sustainability, quality of life, the recovery of traditions, tourism and territorial respect, Taranto rediscovered its awareness of how the sea and maritime activities could be fundamental and useful for its future development.
In 1999 the establishment in the Port Area of Taranto Container Terminal (Evergreen - one of the first transportation societies in the world) set up a new strategic rôle for the commercial port. This is just the start of turning Taranto into a real node of Mediterranean traffic by using the optimal possibilities of marine transport. The next step will be the development of passenger transport for both short (ports in Puglia, Calabria and Sicilia) and long distances (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria).