2 billion kuna worth of investments in Croatia’s small ports

Investments in Croatia’s port infrastructure have experienced significant momentum in recent years. The available funds from EU funds, as well as state funds, which are increasing from year to year, certainly contributed to this. 

In the last three years alone, a total of 2 billion kuna has been invested in the reconstruction of local and county ports alone, partly from European and national funds.

All of this shows how investments in connectivity and quality infrastructure can ensure the development of our islands, and with investments comes new hope for a better future of life on the islands. 

In addition to better connectivity, investment is affecting a major and often prominent problem islands have – demographic renewal, based on employment and a level playing field. These problems can be solved by investments, even in sparsely populated islands. 

All of this will ultimately result in increased access to employment, education, and other services for island communities and improved integration of Croatian islands into the wider transport network.

Investments in recent years can best be interpreted through the current number of construction sites on island and coastal ports. Ports have always been the face of little places on the Croatian coast. However, due to justified budgetary constraints, significant investments in small island and coastal years were absent. That’s why the possibility of using European funds for this purpose proved to be more than useful.

To start the revitalization of Croatian ports on islands and small coastal towns, the project “Renaissance on the Croatian coast” was started. It includes the allocation of European and national funds mostly to port authorities and local and regional self-government units. 

Thanks to the project, this was the first opportunity to finance the reconstruction and construction of local ports with the help of EU funds. The goal was to interconnect islands, improve life quality, and keep the natives on the islands.  

Also, this project also alleviates the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic not just on the nautic sector, but also the economy in general – at most of the ports there’s some intensive construction going on. That’s because projects worth around 2 billion kuna are underway in the last 4 years in all of the 7 coastal counties. E.g., the renovation of Kločep port, the renovation of the Lapad coast in Dubrovnik, the construction of the Tkon port on island Pašman, etc.

For the most part, this project is financed from the Operative program Competition and cohesion and a part of it is financed by the Ministry of the Sea, Traffic and Infrastructure.  So far, a total of 23 port infrastructure improvement projects have been contracted and as much as 1 billion kunas has been provided from EU funds.

A new ferry port in Tkon on island Pašman

This is the first investment project on small islands and coastal ports co-financed by the EU. The project includes the upgrade of the existing ferry port in Tkon, arrangement of the pier plateau for loading and unloading of vehicles, arrangement of areas with access to the ferry port, construction of an underwater culvert for sea circulation between the outer and inner port and construction of a parking plateau. The realization of this project will increase the capacity, quality and safety of regular transport on the state ferry line Tkon – Biograd.

The entire project is worth 32.6 million kuna, and its opening is expected soon.

The port on Cres island

The reconstruction of the west part of the Cres port is one of the first investments that was allocated the funds from the Renaissance on the Croatian coast program.

A 185 meter long and 6 meter wide pier was built, along with the mainland part of the port, (280 m long) which serves as a pedestrian connection to the city center.

This will alleviate traffic jams typical for summer months and improve the connection between Cres and little islands in its archipelago. This 39 million kuna heavy investment was finalized in April and the ceremonial opening of the port was held in September 2021.

The Reconstruction of Split’s City Harbor

This project is managed by the Split port authority and the plan is the reconstruction of Obala kneza Domagoja I and II in the Split City Harbour. It’s a 42,6 million kuna investment of which 80% percent is funded by the EU and the rest from the state budget.

The project will further expand the existing operational shoreline, which will also receive new utility equipment, all to improve the service and increase the security of the port of Split. 

Also, the implementation of this project will provide an additional operational shore for mooring ships and construction of a corridor for unhindered movement of passengers, which will more effectively separate maritime, passenger and road traffic in the port.

The new passenger terminal in Šibenik

A new building of the passenger terminal will be built on the pier Vrulje in Šibenik, which includes the arrangement of traffic areas and installations. The new passenger terminal envisages separate areas of domestic and international traffic, which will significantly affect the flow of traffic, and ferry traffic will also be separated from the traffic of ships on cruises.

This project is worth 182 million kuna and is mostly funded by the EU. The completion of the project is due in 2022. 

Source: Morski.hr