The Port of RIO MARINA
Rio Marina is the second busiest Elban port after Portoferraio in terms of ferry arrivals. However, it is closer to Piombino, because it looks out onto the channel that separates it from the mainland, at 42°48’ North latitude and 10°25’ East longitude.
The port was originally built to cater for the iron mines on Elba and was used to ship almost all of the island’s iron ore.
Its bay is protected by an L-shaped breakwater, with a pier inside, at 1 m above sea level. At the end of the bay there is a small rocky island with a little tower. At the bottom of it there is a waiting room with refreshments. There
is 1,200 m2 pre-boarding yard closeby.
A pier runs for 70 m from the cliffs, it has a slipway for putting boats into the water and a beach that is a natural consequence of the port silting up. The breakwater starts at the end of the beach and has berths for about 100 pleasure craft.
The port covers an area of about 2,800 m2, with seabeds 8m deep. Today its main purpose is to handle ferries arriving on the link service with the port of Piombino, which moor at the end of the 80 m long breakwater, which can also be used for commercial traffic.