NAPA Sets Sights on Asian Shipping Market

NAPA, the North Adriatic Ports Association which joins the ports of Koper, Venice, Trieste and Rijeka, has used Transport Logistics China Fair in Shanghai, held between 17th and 19th of June, to promote the Adriatic as the fastest and most direct shipping route servicing the markets of Central and Eastern Europe.

According to NAPA, the Northern Adriatic ports have everything required to become a major logistics and distribution hub for East Asian cargos.

Collaboration between shippers presents a huge challenge for the ports of the Northern Adriatic, in particular the increase of terminal capacities and investments in port infrastructure.

All NAPA members have ambitious plans regarding the container freight, and they wish to provide a 6 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.

In 2013, Luka Koper handled almost 100,000 containers from China, and nearly 1 million tonnes of Chinese cargo.

Container freight continues to offer the best prospects for growth.

According to professional estimates, containers are expected to increase by 13% with regards to Asian exports to the Mediterranean region, and 3% 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.

[mappress]
June 19, 2014