Italy’s geographic position in the center of the Mediterranean area and its proximity to the markets of Central Europe are strengths of its port system. Italy owns 57 ports of national importance and in particular 14 ports are part of the core network of the European transport network organized with the TENT-T corridors. The article illustrates the characteristics and functioning of the Italian port system，with its articulation of competences and responsibilities between central and local government bodies，the role of the Port System Authorities，the main institutional reference，the value of the new development plans promoted at European and Italian national level，in particular with the National Recovery and Resilience Plan approved by the Italian government in 2021. Particular emphasis is given to the set of opportunities promoted by the European Union with the strategy of building a single transport system and its repercussions on the Italian port system. Lastly，the article offers useful information for an assessment of the main challenges faced by Italian port system as well as the reform prospects.