On 16th June 2026, the Next Innovation Road 2026 event took place at Sala Luttazzi in Trieste and online, bringing together topics linked to digitalisation, hydrogen and zero-emission maritime transport.
The programme included the presentation of Hydrogen Hub Trieste by Massimo Giacomini, Sviluppo Impianti Nuovi Vettori at AcegasApsAmga, as part of the session dedicated to how digital technologies can support zero-emission maritime transport in the Adriatic Sea.
Following the event, Massimo Giacomini shared a statement on the current progress, relevance and expected impact of the pilot:
‘Trieste’s Hydrogen Hub plays a strategic role in the territory’s decarbonisation process and in the development of a new energy model based on green hydrogen. Through this initiative, AcegasApsAmga will contribute to the creation of a new industrial supply chain, combining technological innovation, environmental sustainability and local development.
The Hub, now in an advanced stage of construction, embodies a regeneration model capable of transforming a disused industrial site into a cutting-edge manufacturing hub. Green hydrogen will be produced using renewable energy generated by the installed photovoltaic system and recovering wastewater from the adjacent waste-to-energy plant. This production process allows us to leverage existing resources and create new synergies between local infrastructures.
The hydrogen produced will initially be used to power local public transportation and to support so-called hard-to-abate industrial sectors, such as port logistics.
An infrastructure that generates environmental, economic and social value, strengthening Trieste’s role as a key player in the energy transition.”
The event also featured the presentation of the project working tables of the community “Digitalisation between Sea and Space”, created to connect competences, technologies and opportunities from the maritime, nautical and aerospace sectors. The community was developed through more than 60 meetings with companies, startups, universities, research organisations and innovation stakeholders.
The opening part of the programme included contributions from Stefano Carosio, Executive Director of STAM; Niccolò Donatacci, Project Manager at ESA BIC Padua; Amedeo Migali, CEO of MICAD; and Paul Jobson, CEO of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects.
A following session, held within the Interreg Italy-Croatia TransH2 project and organised by M.A.R.E. TC FVG and the University of Trieste, focused on digital technologies, hydrogen and the decarbonisation of maritime transport. Topics included hydrogen systems in cruise ships, hydrogen in the maritime industry, onboard use of liquid hydrogen, digital twins, alternative fuels and port applications.
For NAHV, the event offered a relevant opportunity to highlight the role of Hydrogen Hub Trieste within the wider development of green hydrogen solutions and zero-emission maritime transport in the Adriatic area.