On 8 January 2025, the second trial related to the collapse of the Morandi Bridge commenced in Genoa. Dubbed "Morandi 2," this trial stems from a separate strand of the investigation into the collapse of the Polcevera viaduct on the A10 motorway. While the first trial ("Morandi 1") focused on direct responsibility for the bridge's collapse, this proceeding addresses alleged irregularities in the management and maintenance of Ligurian motorway infrastructure. The defendants include 46 executives and employees of Autostrade per l’Italia, among them former CEO Giovanni Castellucci, as well as staff from its subsidiary Sprea Engineering, which oversaw maintenance operations. Charges include falsification of documents, fraud, procurement fraud, endangering transport safety, and negligent collapse. However, charges of ideological falsification and dereliction of duty have been dismissed due to the statute of limitations. Thirteen defendants have declared their intent to make spontaneous statements during the trial.
The investigation underpinning Morandi 2 centres on alleged falsifications of safety reports concerning viaducts and tunnels, the installation of hazardous noise barriers, poor infrastructure maintenance, and non-compliance with European safety regulations for tunnels. This trial is part of a broader series of investigations and legal proceedings into motorway infrastructure safety in Liguria, initiated after the Morandi Bridge collapse. These include inquiries into the conditions of tunnels and viaducts, the safety risks of certain noise barriers, and the partial collapse of the Berté tunnel roof on the A26 motorway.
The opening hearing on 8 January focused largely on the formalities of listing the defendants and the constitution of civil parties. Defence teams submitted requests for additional evidence and contested the territorial jurisdiction of the Genoa court, arguing that the falsified reports had been drafted in Bologna or Rome. However, the preliminary hearing judge dismissed the request to transfer the proceedings.
The trial is expected to last until July 2025, with hearings scheduled four times a week starting February 2025 to expedite the process. However, proceedings have been temporarily halted due to technical malfunctions in the digital criminal trial system, which requires the electronic submission of case documents—a problem affecting several Italian courts. The first Morandi trial concluded with a first-instance verdict in July 2024, resulting in the conviction of 18 former executives and employees of Autostrade per l’Italia.
