Fincantieri Foundation and Luiss Guido Carli University announce the launch of the “SUBCAP” project , aimed at promoting multi-level and multidisciplinary legal research to define the regulatory framework for the protection of critical underwater infrastructure.

The initiative, entrusted to the research center “Law and Governance: Compliance, Security and Sustainability”, chaired by Professor Paola Severino, is part of the activities promoted by Fincantieri in the field of maritime security. It represents a further step in a continuous effort to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with the academic world, with the goal of developing innovative, sustainable, and advanced solutions. The agreement fosters excellence in research and education, creating synergies between universities and industry to support the development of cutting-edge knowledge and technologies.

This collaboration contributes to defining a clear and consistent regulatory framework for the protection of underwater infrastructure, particularly by explicitly establishing the boundaries and conditions for protection activities in the underwater domain, especially in international contexts. The project thus aims to comparatively analyze existing legal sources – at international, European, and national levels – and to develop operational solutions capable of guiding the use of advanced technologies, such as sensors, sonar, drones, and autonomous underwater vehicles, within a well-defined legal framework.

Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Fincantieri, stated:
“The protection of the underwater domain is a key strategic challenge for security and development in the coming decades. With the SUBCAP research project, we aim to contribute concretely to the definition of a clear and shared regulatory framework to accompany the evolution of technologies protecting submarine infrastructure. The collaboration with Luiss Guido Carli University marks a further step towards an integrated approach between industry and research to competently address future challenges.” 

Paolo Boccardelli, Rector of Luiss University, commented:
“We are proud that our research model meets the industrial know-how of the world’s leading shipbuilding group for diversification and innovation: an alliance that, aware of the growing geopolitical importance of the underwater economy, fits within the long-term strategy of a major national player like Fincantieri, capable of projecting the centrality and influence of the Italian system far beyond its borders.”

Paola Severino, President of the Luiss School of Law, added:
“To face the challenges of a constantly evolving world, we must train a generation of jurists able to combe skills and cross-disciplinary expertise and of providing answers to regulatory issues raised by new frontiers of innovation, as in the case of the seabed economy. The ambition is to be, as industry and academia, key players in driving change.”

Fincantieri Foundation will play a leading role in coordinating the activities of the SUBCAP project, confirming its mission to promote knowledge and progress in strategic sectors for the country, actively supporting educational and research paths with a particular focus on innovation, security, and training.

The two-year project (2025–2027) will be structured in several phases, including comparative regulatory analysis, collection of empirical data, production of regulatory recommendations, and public dissemination of results. An interdisciplinary team of Luiss researchers, led by Professor Aldo Sandulli, will carry out the activities with the support of Fincantieri.