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The Lighthouse and Maritime Signalling Service provides aids to navigation for all vessels transiting off the Italian coasts or calling at major sea ports. The Italian Navy is in charge of this service, as provided by a law of 1911. The Service employs military and civilian personnel, as well as dedicated ships and vehicles, to fulfil its tasks and to provide technical and logistical support to all signalling facilities throughout the national territory. The Service’s functions, hierarchical order, tasks and organization have been recently redefined by Legislative Decree n. 66 of 15 March 2010 (Code of Military Organization) and Decree of the President of Republic n. 90 of 15 March 2010 (Consolidated Law on regulatory provisions concerning the Military Organization).

The Lighthouse and Maritime Signalling Direction of the Italian Navy Logistics Command, based in Naples, is the central body responsible for study, planning, management and control concerning technical and logistical functions. It is also the national authority that certifies that maritime signalling is adequate to navigation requirements, in compliance with the standards defined by the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities.

The　Lighthouse　Technical Office, based in La Spezia, is subordinate to the Logistics Command, through the Lighthouse and Maritime Signalling Direction, and performs technical and logistical functions for the whole national network of maritime signalling and aids to navigation. It conducts research and experimental studies on materials and technologies to be used in the field of maritime signalling. It has a multifunctional workshop and laboratories with maintenance capability up to the third level.

The　Lighthouse Area Commands – based in La Spezia, Venice, Taranto, Naples, La Maddalena and Messina – are subordinate to the respective Maritime Commands (North, South, Sicily), to which they ensure the operational efficiency of the signalling service, according to their territorial competence. The　Lighthouse Area Commands are likewise under the functional authority of the Logistics Command, as regards technical and logistical aspects. They have a multifunctional workshop and a warehouse to execute repair and maintenance up to the second level. Local operational bodies (the so-called "Reggenze dei Segnalamenti Marittimi") are established as required, directly under the　Lighthouse Area Commands, in order to provide maritime signalling to the entire national coastline.

The national network of maritime signalling extends along the coasts of our peninsula and islands,　as well as in major ports, as provided by current regulations, totalling 861 aids to navigation, which include 147 lighthouses and 714 lights (including beacons and buoys). The Lighthouse Service is also in charge of providing instructions to public and private bodies as well as to minor signalling providers on specific features required for signalling. A list of all maritime signals, whether managed by the Lighthouse Service or other, is published and constantly updated by the　Italian Navy Hydrographic Institute.