Opatija, Croatia hosts three-day conference “The Port of Rijeka, Gateway of the Baltic-Adriatic Core Network Corridor”
On 20th November this year, in Opatija, Croatia, a three-day conference started on “The Port of Rijeka, Gateway of the Baltic-Adriatic Core Network Corridor”. Attendees included Dariusz Słaboszewski, the President of Board, and Aneta Szreder-Piernicka, the Commercial Director. President Słaboszewski plays a double role at the conference, since he represents the Ports Authority and the Baltic Port Organisation (BPO), says press center of Port Szczecin-Swinoujscie.
It is an international conference with an honorary patronage assumed by Kolinda Grabar Kitarović, the President of Croatia.
Specific panels will discuss opportunities for developing the port of Rijeka and challenges related to it. The agenda includes a study visit to the port.
In his interventions, President Słaboszewski is going to focus on previous experience of the ports of Szczecin and Świnoujście as core ports of the Baltic-Adriatic Corridor. Additionally, on behalf of the BPO, he is going to invite to an annual conference of the organization (BPO Conference) to be held in Szczecin in September 2018.
Our presence at the conference in Opatija results from tightening of the cooperation between the Szczecin and Świnoujście Ports Authority and the Port of Rijeka. On 7th July this year, the authorities of the two ports signed a cooperation agreement during the meeting of the Three Seas Initiative held in Warsaw. It is worth noting that during the Opatija conference a similar agreement will be signed between the Port of Rijeka and the Gdańsk Port Authority.
The ports complex of Szczecin-Świnoujście is linked with Rijeka by the Baltic-Adriatic transport corridor with the Polish ports situated at one end of the corridor.
Rijeka is the third largest city (population of about 170 thou.) and the largest port of Croatia. The port has a strategic location, especially considering the extension of the Suez Canal and the growth potential related to it. Therefore, clients of Szczecin and Świnoujście seaports, who are interested in trade between Europe, the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, may enjoy ideal conditions for further geographic expansion.Just like ports of Szczecin and Świnoujście, Rijeka is a universal port. In recent years, cargo handling in that port reached 9-13 m tons, including general cargo 2.1-2.3 m tons, dry bulk about 2 m tons, liquid bulk in excess of 6.5 m tons, and timber nearly 400 thou. tons. Container handling in 2015 reached the level of 200 thou. TEU and has been rapidly rowing. Rijeka, like the port of Świnoujście, also operates a ferry terminal.
