January the 13th, 2025 – The massive Rijeka Gateway project is set to become even more streamlined and efficient thanks to a recent government decision.
As Morski writes, the Croatian Government recently made a decision to change the status of the new Rijeka Gateway container terminal in Rijeka Port. That alteration will now enable operations in the regime of temporary cargo accommodation. This change will enable more rapid and more efficient customs procedures, contributing to speeding up the flow of cargo and increasing the efficiency of the entire terminal.
By changing the operating regime, the area encompassing Rijeka’s free zone will formally decrease by more than 200,000 square metres, but the new status will allow for the reduction of the time required for customs clearance of containers by 50 to 75 percent. Rijeka Gateway has stated that this business model uses the most modern procedures of the customs legislation of both the EU and Croatia, as reported by Novi List.
It’s important to point out that these changes will not affect any of the concessionaire’s activities, which are defined by the concession contract. The introduction of the new regime will lead to an increase in the operation of the terminal, which could result in an increase in container traffic and revenues earned by the Rijeka Port Authority. According to the contract, the fixed part of the concession fee amounts to two million euros per year, while the variable part depends on the gross annual revenue of the terminal.
From Rijeka Gateway itself, they have emphasised that this decision is a significant step towards the modernisation of the terminal, which will position Rijeka among the most modern European ports. The new regime will allow the terminal a faster flow of goods, simpler logistics processes and a significant contribution to both the local and national economy.
