Add us as your preferred source on Google to see more of our content in Search.
Add to Preferred SourcesThe European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed an €80 million financing agreement with Milione S.p.A., the parent company of SAVE S.p.A., which operates Venice Marco Polo Airport, according to a press release. The agreement was signed in Rome by Jean Christophe Laloux, Director General and Head of EU Lending and Advisory at the EIB, and Giovanni Curtolo, Chief Financial Officer of both Milione S.p.A. and SAVE S.p.A. The funding will support targeted investments to improve the airport’s energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. In June, the airport was recognized by ACI EUROPE (Airports Council International) as the Best Airport in Europe in the 10–25 million passengers’ category. The financing aligns with the company’s roadmap to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.
With 11.8 million passengers in 2025, Venice Marco Polo Airport is Italy’s third-largest intercontinental airport and the hub of the Northeast Airport System, managed by the SAVE Group. Founded in 1987, SAVE operates the airports of Venice, Treviso, Verona, and Brescia, and also holds a stake in Belgium’s Charleroi Airport. The group promotes infrastructure development, connectivity, and passenger services with a focus on sustainability and innovation. The airport operates within the sensitive lagoon environment of Venice. The investments do not involve any expansion of the airport’s capacity.
The financing supports an investment program focused on the electrification of airport operations, digitalization, and strengthening operational resilience. Planned investments 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. The program includes the installation of around 500 electric vehicle charging stations and the purchase of more than 20 zero-emission electric vehicles. Improvements to waste management and stormwater treatment are also part of the plan. These measures will help reduce the airport’s environmental impact and enhance its resilience to extreme weather events.
The operation is expected to generate positive impacts on local employment, with approximately 1,000 temporary jobs anticipated during the implementation phase.
“Airports today need to accelerate investment to make concrete reductions in their environmental footprint and strengthen the resilience of their infrastructure,” said Jean-Christophe Laloux, Director General and Head of EU Lending and Advisory at the EIB. He added that the EIB is supporting “a transformation pathway that combines energy efficiency, decarbonisation and innovation, helping to align the sector with Europe’s climate objectives.”
Giovanni Curtolo emphasized that SAVE Group has long placed sustainability at the heart of its operations. He noted that the airport supports 24,000 jobs—direct, indirect, and induced—and generates approximately €1.2 billion in GDP.
The EIB Group, the financing arm of the European Union, is owned by the 27 Member States and is one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion in new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects under eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives. In Italy, the EIB Group signed 105 new financing agreements totalling €12.3 billion in 2025. The Venice project falls under the airport’s 2021 Masterplan, covering electrification, digitalisation, and operational resilience upgrades. The agreement reinforces the alignment of Italy’s aviation sector with Europe’s climate goals.