Europe is Getting Closer!
The four NAPA seaports are located at the northern tip of Adriatic sea, a natural waterway that penetrates deep into the middle of the European continent, thus providing the cheapest naval route from the Far East via Suez to Europe with a distance that is about 2,000 Nm shorter than other North-European ports.
Commissioner Bulc meets NAPA ports
European Commissioner for transport Violeta Bulc, in the occasion of her visit to the Slovenian Port of Koper today, met also the representatives of other North Adriatic ports, members of NAPA Association, the Italian ports of Venice and Triste and the Croatian port of Rijeka. Today’s meeting was attended also by the representatives of Monfalcone and Chioggia, two Italian ports that have applied to become members of NAPA.
The Commissioner Bulc underlined her sincere interest for the North Adriatic Ports which were recognised as “Core ports” of the TEN-T “core network” already in 2011 and were confirmed as part of the two main European corridors, Baltic-Adriatic and Mediterranean. That’s why the Commissioner was curious about the development plans of each member port. Nowadays, NAPA ports have altogether reached a throughput of around 110 million tonnes, which is only a quarter of, for example Rotterdam, the biggest European sea port. Talking about the most strategic cargo, containers, the overall throughputs of all NAPA ports was last year 1,8 million TEU, which is only a tenth of Rotterdam. The potentials of the region are still unutilised, that’s why NAPA ports have ambitious infrastructural plans.
Port of Venice intends to build an off-shore terminal for containers and liquefied cargo, a chemical logistic distribution chain and a terminal for Short Sea Shipping. Trieste is planning the enlargement of Pier 7, the construction of a new ferry terminal and a new logistic platform, which will be the base for the future Pier 8. In Rijeka port, the reconstruction of the container terminal was finished in 2013 and works are already in progress for a new container terminal. They are also working on a concept of a new port on the island of Krk. And last, Port of Koper is preparing the extension of Pier 1, improving berthing facilities and hinterland connections and constructing new warehousing capacities. On the long run there are plans to extend Pier 2 and built a new Pier 3. All this infrastructural activities of NAPA ports, mainly focused on the container business are aimed to reach the potential estimated by MDS Transmodal Ltd for North Adriatic ports of up to 5,9 million TEUs by the year 2030.
North Adriatic has a strategic geographical position being the shortest way for cargo coming from the Far East to central European markets which is not important only in terms of costs and time but also in terms of pollution. That’s way the representatives of NAPA ports have asked the Commissioner Bulc to support infrastructure development in each member port and related logistic systems which will guarantee the full development of the Core Network Corridors. Strengthening the role of the Southern ports gateway (line NAPA, Mediterranean and Black Sea) will re-balance the trade between north and south, increasing the overall system efficiency, as was pointed out by NAPA representatives.
From Left: Director of Port of Monfalcone Sergio Signore, Director Port of Chioggia Pietro Buscolo, President of the Management board of Port of Koper Dragomir Matić, European Commissioner for transport Violeta Bulc, Commissioner of the Trieste Port Authority Zeno D’Agostino, President of Venice Port Authority Paolo Costa and deputy Executive director of Port of Rijeka Authority Goran Lajnert.
