Italy Investigates Alleged Abuse of Market Power in Superyacht Berthing Sector

According to Marine Industry News, which first reported on the case, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) opened proceedings identified as Case A581 following a complaint submitted by Venice-based maritime agency ACQ Italy in June 2025. The investigation was authorized on 23 June 2026 and subsequently published in the regulator’s official bulletin.

The inquiry focuses on whether companies within the Naples-based Luise Group abused a dominant market position in potential violation of Article 3 of Italy’s antitrust law, Law No. 287/1990. The regulator emphasized that the opening of proceedings does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing and that the companies involved will have an opportunity to present their defense.

The investigation covers Luise Group S.r.l., Joseph Luise E Sons S.r.l., Luise International & Co. S.r.l., Luise Associates S.r.l., and Porto Antico di Stabia S.r.l.

Allegations over berth access

According to Marine Industry News and reports published by Italian maritime outlets, ACQ Italy alleges that between 2022 and 2025 its requests for berths for yachts measuring between 34 and 85 meters at Molo di Sopraflutto in Naples’ Mergellina district were repeatedly denied on the grounds that no space was available.

The complaint further alleges that some of the same vessels were subsequently approached by companies affiliated with the Luise Group and offered berths that had previously been declared unavailable.

Italian publication PressMare reported that similar concerns were raised regarding Porto Antico di Stabia in Castellammare di Stabia, where competing agencies allegedly encountered comparable difficulties in securing berths for clients.

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The AGCM is also examining whether commercial information gathered during berth applications—including vessel details, dates of stay and captains’ contact information—was later used to market maritime agency services operated by companies within the group.

Regulators are additionally investigating claims that access to berths may, in some instances, have been tied to the use of Luise-affiliated agency services not only in Naples but also at other Italian ports included in a yacht’s itinerary.

Questions over market concentration

The case highlights broader competition concerns surrounding vertically integrated operators that simultaneously manage port infrastructure and provide commercial maritime services.

According to information cited in the AGCM’s preliminary findings and reported by PressMare, the Luise Group may control between approximately 47% and 51% of berth capacity for large yachts in key locations around the Gulf of Naples, with its share exceeding 53% for vessels longer than 45 meters. The regulator also noted that the group may be the only operator in the area capable of accommodating yachts exceeding 75 meters in length.

In maritime agency services, the authority’s preliminary assessment reportedly estimates the group’s market share at roughly 50% nationally and around 90% within the Gulf of Naples.

The superyacht segment represents a relatively small portion of Italy’s overall recreational fleet but generates a disproportionately large share of economic value in nautical tourism, making access to strategic berths particularly significant for competition within the sector.

Competition authorities in Europe have increasingly scrutinized markets characterized by high barriers to entry and concentrated control of critical infrastructure. Italian regulators have previously investigated transactions and practices in the maritime sector over concerns that consolidation could limit market access and reduce competitive choices for operators and consumers.

Source: Marine Industry News