Guardie ai Fuochi

What Guardie ai Fuochi does

Guardie ai Fuochi del Porto di Venezia s.coop.p.a. is an Italian member-owned cooperative (Società Cooperativa per Azioni) providing environmental protection and safety services within the Venice and Chioggia port areas. The company has operated continuously since its 1953 founding under the Port Authority of Venice, with historical antecedents tracing to a 1334 decree on maritime fire guarding. Its operations are organized around six integrated service lines: liquid waste collection and disposal from vessels (bilge water, wash water, septic) using specialized bettoline work boats; 24/7/365 fire safety surveillance during loading and unloading of dangerous goods; marine and terrestrial pollution cleanup and remediation; rental and deployment of anti-pollution floating barriers (panne galleggianti); end-of-life fuel tank emptying, decontamination, and disposal using explosion-proof pumps and anti-spark cutting equipment; and septic tank/pozzi neri pumping. Service delivery is anchored at three physical sites in the Marghera/Malcontenta industrial zone and is performed by trained personnel operating under Port Authority ordinances (notably Ordinanza n. 61/2001 of the Capitaneria di Porto di Venezia) that effectively designate the company as the authorized provider of these services in the port.

The company's technology base is entirely physical: a specialized fleet of work boats, terrestrial vacuum/sewage vehicles, anti-pollution barriers, and explosion-proof pumping and cutting systems, deployed by personnel qualified to handle hydrocarbons, chemicals, and hazardous containers. It holds ISO 9001:2015 (Quality), ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental), and ISO 45001:2018 (Occupational Health & Safety) certifications, and has adopted an Organizational Model under Italian D.Lgs. 231/2001 with an independent Supervisory Body and a 2023 whistleblowing channel managed by Irecoop Veneto. There is no software platform, no API surface, and no AI/ML capability disclosed; value is delivered through on-site service execution rather than digital products.

Revenue is generated through direct, on-site, contract-based professional services billed to government counterparties (Port Authority, Maritime Directorate, Ministry of Environment, Municipality of Venice) and to private port operators and shipping companies calling at Venice and Chioggia. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; service requests are handled through website, phone, and direct email. The company is member-owned, has no parent, no subsidiaries, no external investors, and no disclosed funding history. It operates exclusively in the Veneto region and serves no customers outside the Venice/Chioggia port system.

Name

Guardie ai Fuochi

Legal name

Guardie ai Fuochi del Porto di Venezia s.coop.p.a.

Website

https://guardieaifuochi.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Guardie ai Fuochi del Porto di Venezia is an Italian member-owned cooperative providing fire safety surveillance, liquid waste collection, pollution response, and fuel tank cleaning services to port authorities, shipping operators, and government institutions in the Venice and Chioggia port areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port and Maritime Environmental Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112), Waste Treatment and Disposal (56221), Port and Harbor Operations (48831)

SIC

Hazardous Waste Management (4955), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental, Spill Prevention & Response Compliance (MARPOL, SOPEP/SMPEP, Waste) (TLAHANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Port & Terminal Security Guarding and Access Control (Gates, Badging, Patrols) (TLAHANAB), Dangerous Goods / IMO Breakbulk Handling & Storage (TLAHADAH), Hazmat Emergency Response, Spill Control & Incident Management (TLACANAM), Emergency Response & Incident Command (Oil Spill/HAZMAT, SAR Support) (TLAHAIAC)

Keywords

• Port safety services
• Maritime environmental services
• Liquid waste collection
• Fire safety surveillance
• Pollution remediation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Venezia

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Liquid Waste Collection and Disposal: Collection and disposal of bilge water, wash water, and septic waste from vessels using specialized work boats (bettoline), approached directly at the ship's berth via hose lines. Performed by specialized personnel with necessary authorizations.
2. Fire Safety Surveillance Services: 24/7 fire watch services in the commercial ports of Venice and Chioggia, ensuring compliance with Port Authority ordinances for ships carrying dangerous goods during loading and unloading operations. Covers hydrocarbons, chemicals, coal, gas, fluorine, ferro-silicon, wood chips, and hazardous containers.
3. Pollution Cleanup, Decontamination, and Remediation: Emergency response services for hydrocarbon and pollutant spills on maritime and land surfaces, including containment, absorption, recovery, and disposal of contaminated materials through authorized disposal operators.
4. Anti-Pollution Floating Barrier Rental: Rental of floating pollution containment barriers with terrestrial vehicles and boats provided for transport and deployment. Available for both preventive and emergency use.
5. Fuel Tank Emptying, Cleaning, and Disposal: End-of-life fuel tank services including draining, decontamination, cutting into pieces using anti-spark equipment, and disposal in compliance with regulations. Performed by trained personnel using explosion-proof pumps and specific washing products.
6. Sewage Pit Pumping Services: Sewage pit pumping and drainage cleaning using fully equipped vehicles, performed by qualified personnel in compliance with safety regulations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Guardie ai Fuochi del Porto di Venezia is a cooperative providing specialized environmental protection and safety services in the Venice and Chioggia port areas. Its portfolio includes collection and disposal of liquid waste from vessels via work boats, 24/7 fire safety surveillance during dangerous goods operations, marine and terrestrial pollution cleanup and remediation, rental of floating anti-pollution barriers, fuel tank emptying and cleaning, and septic tank pumping. Services are delivered on-site by trained personnel using specialized boats, vehicles, and explosion-proof equipment, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Product overview

Guardie ai Fuochi del Porto di Venezia is a cooperative providing environmental protection and safety services for the Venice port area. The company operates a portfolio of six integrated services: liquid waste collection and disposal (Prelievo e smaltimento rifiuti liquidi), fire safety surveillance (Vigilanza antincendio), marine and terrestrial cleanup and remediation (Pulizia, disinquinamento e bonifica specchi marittimi e terrestri), floating anti-pollution barrier rental (Noleggio di panne galleggianti antinquinamento), fuel tank cleaning (Svuotamento e pulizia casse nafta), and septic tank pumping (Espurgo pozzi neri). These services are delivered through a combination of specialized land vehicles, work boats, trained personnel, and emergency response capabilities, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Liquid Waste Collection and Disposal (Prelievo e smaltimento rifiuti liquidi) Collection and disposal of bilge water, wash water, and septic waste from vessels using specialized work boats (bettoline), approached directly at the ship's berth via hose lines. Waste is transported only to authorized disposal facilities. Service is for shipping companies, port operators, and vessels in the Venice and Chioggia port areas requiring compliance with liquid waste disposal regulations.
• Fire Safety Surveillance (Vigilanza antincendio) Fire safety surveillance services at Venice and Chioggia commercial ports, providing 24/7 coverage 365 days a year for vessels transporting dangerous goods during loading and unloading operations. Covers hydrocarbons, chemicals, coal, gas, fluorine, ferro-silicon, wood chips, and hazardous containers. Service is for port authorities, shipping companies, and vessel operators requiring compliance with Port Authority ordinances.
• Marine and Terrestrial Cleanup and Remediation (Pulizia, disinquinamento e bonifica specchi marittimi e terrestri) Environmental cleanup, decontamination, and remediation services for maritime and terrestrial areas contaminated by hydrocarbon or pollutant spills. Uses absorbent materials, sausages, and granular absorbent products to capture pollutants, with contaminated waste disposed at authorized facilities. Service is for port authorities, government institutions, and private enterprises requiring rapid emergency response to environmental contamination incidents.
• Floating Anti-Pollution Barrier Rental (Noleggio di panne galleggianti antinquinamento) Rental and deployment of floating anti-pollution barriers (panne) for containing oil spills in water bodies or waterways. Includes provision of terrestrial vehicles and boats for rapid transport and effective barrier deployment. Service is for port authorities, government institutions, and private enterprises requiring preventive or emergency oil spill containment in the Venice lagoon and waterways.
• Fuel Tank Emptying and Cleaning (Svuotamento e pulizia casse nafta) End-of-life fuel tank services including draining, decontamination, cutting into pieces using anti-spark cutting equipment (roditrice anti-scintilla), and disposal in compliance with regulations. Uses explosion-proof pumps and specific washing products. Service is for facility owners, port operators, and enterprises requiring safe decommissioning of hydrocarbon storage tanks.
• Septic Tank Pumping (Espurgo pozzi neri) Septic tank pumping and drainage cleaning using fully equipped vehicles, performed by qualified personnel in compliance with safety regulations. Service is for private enterprises, facilities, and individuals in the Venice port area and surrounding region requiring sewage pit maintenance and drainage cleaning.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rapid pollution response capability — equipment and operators ready to intervene quickly to contain environmental damage
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico SettentrionalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive collaboration with the Port Authority of the Northern Adriatic Sea for environmental and safety services within the Venice port system. The company operates as a regulated service provider under the authority's oversight and regulatory framework.
• Direzione Marittima di VeneziacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Venice Maritime Directorate for maritime safety and environmental protection services. The company operates under regulatory mandates established by the Maritime Directorate for fire safety surveillance in ports.
• Ministero dell'AmbientecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Italian Ministry of the Environment for environmental protection and remediation activities within the Venice lagoon area, operating under national environmental regulations.
• Comune di VeneziacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Municipality of Venice for environmental protection and safety services in the Venice area, contributing to the safeguarding of the lagoon ecosystem and public safety.
• Capitaneria di Porto di VeneziacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe company operates under Port Authority ordinances (Ordinanza n. 61 del 5 luglio 2001) issued by the Captaincy of the Port of Venice, which detail the duties of the Guardie ai Fuochi for ensuring safety of operations involving dangerous goods in the port.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Stericycle: US-listed regulated waste and compliance services company with hazmat collection, emergency response and compliance offerings comparable to the cooperative's liquid waste collection and sewage services portfolio.
• Clean Harbors: Large North American provider of hazardous waste management, emergency response, and industrial services; overlap with Guardie ai Fuochi on liquid waste collection, fuel tank cleaning and hydrocarbon spill response, but operates across many sites and verticals rather than a single port.
• Veolia Environmental Services: Global environmental services group with hazardous waste, industrial cleaning and marine pollution response capabilities that overlap directly with the cooperative's services, although Veolia operates at vastly greater scale across multiple industries.
• Boskalis Westminster (SMIT Salvage): Global marine services and salvage group whose emergency response and environmental services arm addresses oil spill response and wreck removal, directly analogous to the cooperative's emergency response and pollution cleanup work in the Venice lagoon.

Regional players

• Gruppo Servizi Portuali (terminal operators at adjacent Italian ports): Italian terminal operating and port services groups (e.g. at Genoa, Trieste, Livorno) that deliver a comparable suite of port-sited environmental, safety and waste handling services in adjacent geographies to the Northern Adriatic.
• HERAmbiente: Italian environmental services company owned by Hera Group providing integrated waste management, including hazardous waste treatment and disposal; comparable domestic Italian peer offering overlapping waste, remediation and industrial cleaning services.

Direct peers

• National Response Corporation (NRC): Major US oil spill response and environmental services contractor comparable to the cooperative's marine and terrestrial pollution cleanup, fuel tank cleaning and hazardous waste services.
• ITOPF: Not-for-profit international expertise centre for oil spill response and marine pollution; comparable role of providing pollution response expertise and standing capability to ports and shipping, similar in regulated, mandate-driven positioning.
• Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL): Industry-funded international cooperative providing rapid oil spill response, dispersant application and containment barriers; closely comparable in cooperative/regulated structure and in its core response service set to Guardie ai Fuochi.

Others

• Smit Lamnalco: JV between Boskalis and Mitsui providing terminal and harbour towage plus marine services at ports worldwide; relevant adjacency through port-based marine service delivery and standing-response capability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/guardieaifuochi

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Guardie ai Fuochi