Together with other members of NAPA, the North Adriatic Ports Association, Luka Koper again participated at the biennial Transport Logistics China fair this week in Shanghai.
NAPA, which joins the ports of Koper, Venice, Trieste and Rijeka, promoted the Adriatic as the fastest and most direct shipping route servicing the markets of Central and Eastern Europe, and, as such, a cost-effective and environment-friendly alternative to the ports from the north-western side of the continent.
Container freight continues to offer the best prospects for growth. According to professional estimates, containers are expected to increase by thirteen percent as regards Asian exports to the Mediterranean region, and three percent in the opposite direction. Such growth is twice as much as is anticipated for trade flows between Asia and Northern Europe. Textiles and other manufactures account for the major portion of imports, followed by metal and electronic products.
Collaboration between shippers also presents a huge challenge for the ports of the Northern Adriatic, in particular as regards the increase of terminal capacities and investments in port infrastructure.
All NAPA members have ambitious plans in relation to container freight, and they wish to provide a six-million TEU annual aggregate capacity by 2030. This ambition is also supported by market studies, further to which the Port of Koper could itself realise one-third of said potential.
For this, and other reasons, Luka Koper is investing heavily in seabed dredging in support of larger vessels at its container terminal, as well as increasing its handling and storage capacities at Pier I.
[mappress]
Press Release, June 19, 2014