EIB provides 80 million to improve the sustainability of Venice Airport

Brussels – Venice Marco Polo Airport will receive 80 million euros in financing to improve its energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Today (6 July), the European Investment Bank (EIB) approved a loan to Milione S.p.A., the parent company of SAVE S.p.A., which operates the airport. The agreement was signed in Rome by the EIB’s Director General and Head of Financing and Advisory Operations in the EU, Jean Christophe Laloux, and by the Chief Financial Officer of Milione S.p.A. and SAVE S.p.A., Giovanni Curtolo. 

As part of the company’s roadmap to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030, “the financing supports an investment program focused on the electrification of airport operations, digitalisation, and strengthening operational resilience.” The measures will therefore include “the development of low-emission infrastructure, the acquisition of electric vehicles, the expansion of infrastructure for electricity generation from renewable energy sources, and upgrades to IT systems, including cybersecurity.” Plans also include installing around 500 electric vehicle charging stations and purchasing more than 20 zero-emission electric vehicles. “With this financing, the EIB is supporting a transformation pathway that combines energy efficiency, decarbonisation and innovation, helping to align the sector with Europe’s climate objectives,” Laloux said. 

Among its objectives, the project also aims to improve waste management and the treatment of runoff water – the rainwater that, rather than evaporating or being absorbed by the ground, flows over impermeable surfaces such as roofs, roads, squares, and car parks – thereby helping to reduce the airport’s environmental impact and enhance its resilience to extreme weather events.  The project has also taken into account the impact on local employment, with estimates suggesting the creation of around 1,000 temporary jobs for the implementation of the works. “The airport’s operations, a driving force behind the local economy, provide employment for 24,000 people in direct, indirect and induced roles, generating a GDP of around 1.2 billion euros,” Curtolo added. 

With passenger traffic of around 11.8 million in 2025, Venice Marco Polo Airport is Italy’s third-largest intercontinental airport, operated by the SAVE Group. In a press release, however, the EIB clarified that the investments do not relate to expanding the airport’s capacity.