The port of Taranto is now a second category port, but is first class for economic importance.
Its central position in the Mediterranean gives the port of Taranto the opportunity to be the best crossing point between the richer European economy and the economy of North Africa and the East, still at a development stage.
The Port as we see it now took its shape at the end of the 19th century after the construction of the military arsenal. It was the departure and arrival point for war ships.
A further change took place during the 1960s, when, as a consequence of the installation of the iron foundry, the city became an industrial port.
The actual port is a multipurpose centre with a large area dedicated to the Container Terminal, with great attention paid to transport differentiation and interchange.
It is divided into 2 parts: the outer port is called Mar Grande (Big Sea), while the inner port is called Mar Piccolo (Little Sea). Together they comprise a total area of 350.000 sq. Km.
The commercial and industrial port is situated towards the north east, in the Big Sea.
Related subjects:
Barcelona: The modern Port
Bremerhaven: The Container Terminal
Dunkerque: Visit to the Port
Gdansk: The Port Nowadays