EU provides funding for upgrades to Rijeka port

Some 35 million euros are being allocated by the European Union to boost the port’s capabilities and its competitiveness

Croatia’s Rijeka Port will undergo major renovations and upgrades thanks to a new project, the contract for which was signed earlier this month. The “Upgrade of the Rijeka Port Infrastructure – Rijeka Basin” project will see the allocation of over 35 million euros to works in the crucial region that are meant to boost the port’s productivity and competitiveness.

Bettering the entire region

The agreement for the beginning of the works is yet another display of the Rijeka Port Authority’s desire to further upgrade and improve the area. According to its director, Denis Vukorepa, over the past year, the Authority has launched seven projects worth a grand total of over 130 million euros for the development and modernisation of the port.

The latest addition to the long list of developments is co-financed by the European Union under the Connecting Europe Facility, which will provide 85% of the funding. The new project will see the construction of over 109,000 square metres of road surface, more than 12,000 metres of railways and some 1625 metres of crane track. The expected delivery date of the project is late 2022. The project will not only improve the Rijeka port but it will also create valuable jobs and will bring about economic growth during the slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The official signing ceremony for the agreement was also attended by Croatian Minister of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butkovic, who highlighted the important role that the European Union plays in the development of the continent’s regions. He claimed that none of what has been accomplished in Rijeka would have been possible without European support and that it is precisely thanks to European funding that the port can increase its competitiveness and its productivity.