October the 13th, 2024 – Maersk has noted the promise of the new Rijeka terminal, and sees it as a significant strategic point.
As Morski writes, the development of new railway and port infrastructure is crucial for fulfilling the potential of the entire Adriatic region as the main European logistics corridor.
“In order to be able to use all the potential of the promising Adriatic region, the development of railway infrastructure must become a priority because the current pace is simply not fast enough,” said Ivić Vodopija, the director of Maersk for Eastern Europe, during a business lunch of the American Chamber of Commerce on the impact of foreign investments on Croatian competitiveness.
As Novi List noted, the largest investment in the history of the Port of Rijeka is currently taking place. A brand new container terminal is being built, and Maersk has its eye firmly on the new Rijeka terminal’s potential. Four cranes, each 138 meters high, which will transfer cargo from the largest vessels, are arriving from China and should be operational by the middle of next year.
Maersk sees the entire Adriatic region, including Koper in neighbouring Slovenia and the new Rijeka terminal, as a key corridor for European importers and exporters. Although northern European ports have plenty of competitive advantages, the Adriatic is attractive. Despite that, the state of its unimpressive infrastructure, especially railway lines and networks, must be developed at a much more rapid pace.
The total value of the investment in the new Rijeka terminal is estimated to stand at a whopping 380 million euros, and more than 200 million euros will be invested in the first phase alone. The remaining funds will be invested in the second phase, more specifically over the coming decade. In addition to the construction of the new Rijeka terminal itself, Maersk and ENNA Logic are developing a new logistics corridor through the Republic of Croatia, connecting Rijeka with the rest of Central Europe.
The American Chamber of Commerce pointed out that Croatia’s overall progress as an investment destination is evident, as evidenced by the recently raised credit rating to the highest historical level of A-. Almost 80% of members of the American Chamber of Commerce plan to expand their business in Croatia in the next three years. You can read more on that here.
