The main criteria that have driven to select the port of Messina have been: (1) the presence of high-growth traffic flows and a good market potential; (2) the ownership structure of the cruise terminal, which includes a cruise line. Indeed, Messina is a paradigmatic case in the Mediterranean Sea. First, Messina is a port of call and its traffic volume has increased steadily from 2005 (216 270 passengers) to 2012 (438 379). Second, the management of the cruise infrastructures was entrusted to a consortium formed by a cruise company (MSC Crociere) and some domestic players. In this regard, the entry of a cruise company in the terminal shareholder structure does influence traffic evolution. As illustrated above, cruise companies which are shareholders of the terminal facility ensure stable traffic flows to the port and bring value to the territory but, at the same time, may produce opportunistic behaviours harming third-party customers.