MILAN, October 29, 2025 – “The inauguration of the Bicocca–Catenanuova section marks a decisive step in the infrastructure investment plan for Sicily. It is the first high-capacity railway section to be built on the island, and it represents a clear start to the construction of a modern, efficient and sustainable network that will radically transform how Sicily connects with the rest of Italy and Europe,” said Pietro Salini, Chief Executive of Webuild. 

“This infrastructure is part of the most significant investment in public works since the unification of Italy: over €20 billion allocated by the FS Italiane Group, through RFI, for the island’s railway network. It represents a historic turning point for mobility, logistics and competitiveness in southern Italy. The new network, part of the TEN-T Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor, is designed to connect Sicily with the rest of Europe, strengthening the island’s role as a strategic hub in the Mediterranean.” 

A key element of this plan is the Strait of Messina Bridge, which will connect the high-speed rail network up to Reggio Calabria with the high-capacity network in Sicily. “The Strait of Messina Bridge will give meaning and continuity to this historic infrastructure plan, enabling a fast and direct connection between northern Italy and Sicily. It will unite what is currently divided and integrate what is now fragmented,” Salini added.

Webuild is working along the Palermo-Catania-Messina corridor with 19 Tunnel-Boring Machines (TBMs) – each over 100 metres long – to excavate 175 kilometres of tunnel. “The high-capacity rail sections being built by Webuild in Sicily involve thousands of people and local businesses, with targeted investments in training, safety and skills development. It is a widespread construction effort that generates qualified employment and innovation. To ensure a skilled workforce, Webuild established an advanced training centre in Belpasso (Catania) in 2023 in collaboration with the Region of Sicily. Equipped with TBM simulators and cutting-edge machinery, the Centre is a national hub for mechanised tunnelling training, with both in-house instructors and external experts. It is part of the national ‘Cantiere Lavoro Italia’ programme, which has already trained around 1,700 workers and employees, aiming to create jobs and enhance local human capital. In parallel, automated facilities such as the one in Belpasso – equipped with advanced robotic technologies for producing tunnel lining segments – are the result of an industrial system focused on innovation and development opportunities for the entire supply chain.” 

“Our work continues with commitment on six additional sections of the Palermo–Catania–Messina corridor which, together with the Bicocca–Catenanuova section, represent true engines of development, with an estimated total of around 7,000 jobs between direct and third-party personnel,” Salini concluded.