​​THE MERCHANT NAVY AUTHORITY

The Harbour Masters Corps - Coast Guard has traditionally functional tasks in the administration of maritime transport, with adequate presence on the national territory.

The implementation of important reforms, which have acknowledged wide administrative powers to the Regions (Legislative Decree n. 112 dated 31st March 1998; Constitutional Law n. 3 dated 18th October 2001) have modified, over a period of time, the powers entrusted to the Corps which currently, pursuant to the Navigation Code, as well as the special laws (art. 132-138 of Legislative Decree n. 66 dated 15th March 2010):

• exercises the powers relating to matters of the Ministry of Infrastructure a nd Transport for which the law and other regulations provide for the direct assignment to the Corps;

• performs, under the pooling agreement, the activities conferred to it in the areas under the jurisdiction of the Department for transport, navigation, information and statistics systems of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport;

• carries out the general Maritime Authority function pursuant to the Navigation Code;

• without questioning the responsibilities for overall coordination of the maritime rescue services, referred to in art. 3, paragraph 1, letter a) of Decree of the President of the Republic n. 662 dated 28th September 1994, it is responsible for the activity of search and rescue at sea, in accordance with art. 69, 70 and 830 of the Navigation Code, for the discipline, control and monitoring of vessel traffic, safety of navigation and maritime transport as well as related activities of supervision and control, pursuant to the Navigation Code, Law n. 422 dated 28th December 1989 and other special laws.

The Harbour Masters Corps - Coast Guard exercises other functions in relation to the following matters:

• control of the ports and carrying out the duties of the safety authorities in menacing situations, pursuant to Legislative Decree n. 203 dated 6th November 2007;

• police in ports and in the course of navigation;

• general safety in ports and on the adjacent property in accordance with art. 81 of the Navigation Code, and under the terms provided for in art. 82 of the Navigation Code, on the ships in the harbour and in the course of navigation within territorial waters;

• maritime police;

• maritime domain and exercise of their powers of administrative police;

• management of seafarers;

• administrative arrangements of ships;

• pleasure boating;

• rescue and safety of navigation police in the major lakes;

• Port Authority in the harbours where it is not established;

• coordination and direction of technical - nautical services;

• safety of the activities in ports and onboard ships, in accordance with Legislative Decree n. 81 dated 9th April 2008, and the exercise of the organizational and supervisory powers with regard to safety in the workplace as part of their structures and their means of operation;

• inspection activities in the function of "Port State Control Flag State", respectively, pursuant to Directives 2009/16/EC, 2009/15/EC and 106/2001/EC;

• surveys and investigations on marine accidents in order to identify the causes, circumstances and responsibilities in line with the provisions of the Code of Navigation Act and its implementing regulation, as well as in accordance with Legislative Decree n. 28 dated 2nd February  2001;

• civil responsibility investigation for damages due to pollution from ships fuel;

• other matters subject to the Navigation Code and to other special laws that transfer to the Coast Guard specific functions.

The Harbour Masters Corps - Coast Guard, as judicial police in accordance with art. 1235 of the Navigation Code and other special laws and art. 57, paragraph 3, of the Code of Criminal Procedure, performs the functions listed below, related to the most general competences of other ministries:

• exercises the activity of traffic police, in accordance with  art. 12, paragraph 3, letter f) of Legislative Decree n. 285 dated 30th April 1992;

• provides the necessary collaborative operation, in accordance with art. 11 of Law n. 225 dated 24th February 1992, as part of the permanent structure at the Department of Civil Protection, for operational planning and management of emergencies at sea;

• contributes to contrasting trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, according to art. 5 and 99 of the Decree of the President of the Republic n.309 dated 9th October 1990;

• contributes to tackling illegal immigration, in accordance with art. 11, paragraph 1, letter d) of Law n. 189 dated 30th July 2002;

• contributes to the surveillance aimed at identifying and safeguarding the assets of historical, artistic and archaeological heritage, with particular regard to submerged archaeological finds;​

• carries out the powers concerning the discipline of placement of seafarers.