Fincantieri Foundation and Luiss University: project to strengthen the safety of underwater infrastructure

Fondazione Fincantieri and Luiss Guido Carli University announce the launch of the “SUBCAP” – SUBsea CAbles Protection project, to promote multilevel and multidisciplinary legal research to identify the regulatory framework for the protection of critical underwater infrastructure.

The initiative, entrusted to the "Law and Governance: Compliance, Security and Sustainability" research center, chaired by Professor Paola Severino, is part of Fincantieri's maritime security efforts and represents a further step in an ongoing commitment to strengthening dialogue and cooperation with academia, with the aim of developing innovative, sustainable, and advanced solutions. The agreement promotes excellence in research and training, creating synergies between universities and industry to support the development of cutting-edge knowledge and technologies.

The collaboration aims to contribute to the definition of a clear and coherent regulatory framework for the protection of underwater infrastructure, specifically one that explicitly establishes the limits and conditions for protection activities conducted in the underwater domain, especially in international contexts. The project therefore aims to comparatively analyze existing legal sources—at the international, European, and national levels—and develop operational solutions capable of guiding the use of advanced technologies, such as sensors, sonar, drones, and autonomous underwater vehicles, within a defined legal framework.

"The protection of the underwater domain is a key strategic challenge for security and development in the coming decades," said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri . "With the SUBCAP research project, we want to make a concrete contribution to the definition of a clear and shared regulatory framework to accompany the evolution of technologies for the protection of underwater infrastructure. The collaboration with Luiss Guido Carli University represents a further step towards an integrated approach between industry and research to competently address the challenges of the future."

Paolo Boccardelli, Rector of Luiss University , commented: “ We are proud that our research model has combined with the industrial know-how of the world's leading shipbuilding complex in terms of diversification and innovation. This alliance, aware of the growing geopolitical importance of the underwater economy, fits into the long-term strategy of a major national player like Fincantieri, capable of projecting the centrality and influence of the country system well beyond its own borders.”

Paola Severino , President of the Luiss School of Law , added: " To address the challenges of an ever-changing world, we need to train a generation of lawyers capable of combining transversal skills and abilities, as well as addressing the regulatory issues raised by new frontiers of innovation, such as the deep-sea economy. The ambition is for businesses and universities to be protagonists of change."

Fondazione Fincantieri will play a leading role in coordinating activities related to the SUBCAP project, confirming its mission of promoting knowledge and progress in strategic sectors for the country, actively supporting study and research programs with a particular focus on innovation, safety, and training.

The two-year project (2025–2027) will be divided into several phases, including comparative regulatory analysis, empirical data collection, production of regulatory recommendations, and public dissemination of the results. It will involve an interdisciplinary team of Luiss researchers, led by Professor Aldo Sandulli, with the support of Fincantieri.