Since 2014, DLTM has been a member of Cluster Tecnologico Nazionale – Trasporti Italia (CTN-IT), to whose establishment it contributed. It has coordinated the “Training” working group for the implementation of the “Cluster Strategic Plan” and, through the “Maritime Transport”working group, has contributed to the identification of the main research trajectories in mobility.

Recognised at the time by the MIUR (now MUR – Ministry of University and Research) as a reference hub for land and maritime mobility systems and vehicles, CTN-IT has become a key player in the National Research Programme (PNR) and in national policies linked to European programming, particularly with regard to structural funds and the “Horizon Europe” programme..

The Cluster brings together the leading national industrial and scientific stakeholders in road, rail and waterborne mobility, intermodality, applied telematics and integrated sector services, with the aim of fostering synergies across value chains, defining research and innovation priorities, and efficiently directing available resources.

It also acts as a central interlocutor for national and European research and innovation policies, promoting coordination across governmental and EU administrative levels, including at the local level, and supporting regional strategies aligned with Smart Specialisation Strategies..

The partnership agreement signed in 2009 between the Ligurian District for Marine Technologies and Pôle Mer Méditerranée, a French competitiveness cluster recognised by the State in 2005, initiated an international collaboration in the field of marine technologies and the Blue Economy, involving exchanges of visits, needs and best practices.

More recently, in 2025, DLTM had the pleasure of hosting and accompanying an Algerian delegation, within the framework of the Blue Economy Programme, on a study visit aimed at exploring the ecosystem, stakeholders and initiatives that make Liguria a benchmark in the blue economy. The Algerian delegation — composed of ministerial representatives, university and private incubators, mentors and consultants — was introduced to Ligurian best practices in innovation, entrepreneurship development and sustainability within the blue economy sector, establishing direct connections with institutions, universities, research centres and innovative SMEs. The visit further strengthened knowledge exchange and laid the groundwork for future collaborations between Mediterranean ecosystems, promoting a shared vision of sustainable blue growth.

Start 4.0 is one of the four national Competence Centers established by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (formerly MISE) within the framework of the Transition 4.0 plan.

The collaboration between the Ligurian District for Marine Technologies (DLTM) and the START 4.0 Competence Center dates back to 2019, the year in which the START 4.0 Association was formally established, with DLTM as a founding member. The Center supports companies in the adoption of advanced digital technologies to protect and monitor strategic assets such as ports, energy networks, water systems and transport infrastructure. Through the use of Cyber-Physical Systems, the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence, START 4.0 works to enhance the resilience, security and performance of these infrastructures.

In 2020, the Ligurian District for Marine Technologies developed the Smart Bill of Lading (SMART BOL)project, an initiative aimed at the digitalisation of the bill of lading in maritime transport. The project was funded under the first call for industrial research and experimental development promoted by START 4.0 and resulted in the development of a prototype based on blockchain technologies, with the objective of improving security, traceability, transparency and efficiency in the management of logistics documentation.

Established in 2018, IBG – Italian Blue Growth S.r.l. , of which DLTM is a founding member, was created to manage and organise the Seafuture exhibition, as well as to develop and participate in national and international events, in addition to carrying out communication and consultancy activities. The most tangible outcome of this company is SEAFUTURE, one of the leading Italian — now international — events, held biennially at the La Spezia Naval Base, entirely dedicated to the Blue Economy and dual-use technologies, and aimed at promoting innovative projects and talent within the sector. DLTM, together with IBG, co-organises the “SEAFUTURE Awards”, aimed at national and international universities; the “SEAFUTURE Awards High School”, addressed to upper secondary schools in Liguria; and the “SEAFUTURE Start Up Area”award, dedicated to innovative start-ups at both national and international level.

Toulon Var Technologies Innovation – TVT Innovation is the economic development and innovation agency of the City of Toulon and the Var Department, in the French Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region.

TVT manages a unique ecosystem that brings together companies, research centres and public institutions, coordinating start-up incubators and urban regeneration projects. The agency is also distinguished by its “System Factory”, a hub dedicated to complex systems engineering, with a high level of specialisation in the fields of Defence, Security and the marine environment.

The collaboration between the Ligurian District for Marine Technologies and TVT Innovation stems from the complementary nature of the two territories: La Spezia and Toulon share a long-standing naval tradition, the presence of major military bases, and an industrial fabric specialised in the Blue Economy and dual-use technologies.

This cross-border synergy is primarily implemented through European projects under the Interreg Italy–France Maritime Programme, within which the two entities collaborate to create internationalisation corridors for SMEs, facilitating technology transfer between Liguria and France and developing joint solutions for maritime surveillance and the environmental sustainability of ports.

The WestMED Initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy in the Western Mediterranean involves 10 European and North African countries bordering the Mediterranean and was launched in 2017 with the aim of creating a common cooperation framework to address shared maritime challenges.

WestMED’s mission is to support maritime governance by pursuing three strategic objectives: ensuring a safer and more secure maritime space, promoting a smart and resilient blue economy, and improving ocean governance. In practical terms, WestMED acts as a project catalyst, providing technical assistance to turn ideas into bankable actions and fostering direct dialogue among institutions, research centres and economic operators on both shores of the Mediterranean.

DLTM operates in close synergy with the Italian WestMED National Hub and, through this connection, supports its member companies in accessing cross-border networks, fostering the creation of international consortia for research and development projects focused on environmental sustainability and maritime security (see, for example, EU projects such as BLUE PORTS).

The framework agreement signed in May 2022 between DLTM and NA.VI.GO, the Tuscan recreational boating network established in 2007, is aimed at developing a strategic collaboration to promote joint projects in the fields of the Blue Economy, yachting, port activities, logistics and marine technologies. Particularly noteworthy is the recent initiative to establish the “Magra Net” Network, a network of companies and stakeholders operating along the Magra River, with the objective of addressing environmental and productive challenges.