Jadrolinija cancelled the line Zadar – Ancona in the international sailing schedule for 2023

A few weeks ago, Jadrolinija shipping company announced the international sailing schedule in which the only route is Split – Ancona. However, it is no surprise that there is no seasonal line Zadar – Ancona this year. It is only a confirmation of the defeat of local politics and lobbying as Dalmatinski.hr reports. 

That line was simply cancelled and, due to political pressure, it was inserted last summer in an improvised combination with Split, and it was maintained by the ship Marko Polo. The line was established for 80 days, with the fact that from July 18 to August 18, the ferry sailed twice a week. Before and after it was only once a week.

It is difficult to predict how it will be this year, when the international line Dubrovnik – Bari, which was in force from April to the end of November, has also been cancelled. Jadrolinija is selling their ferry Dubrovnik which maintained the line and is now docked in Split. The city port in Split has also become the home port of the ferry named Zadar. Instead of maintaining the international line Zadar – Ancona, it has been permanently transferred to the local line to Hvar from 2021.

Jadrolinija chose Zadar to celebrate its 75th anniversary, and Marko Polo was brought to the international port of the Istrian coast from Ancona. The administration has spent a lot of money on fleet renewal promises.

Gaženica port remains only on cruise ship traffic despite announcements and even road signs for ferries departing for Greece, Italy and Turkey. Zadar as a maritime city, as the centre of the Mediterranean – sounds very proud in strategies and political speeches.

The warnings of Marko Polo officers who see were also in vain last year:

We should try to bring this traffic to Zadar. It is absurd that trucks from Central Europe go by road to Ancona and then from Ancona to Greece and Albania. For accepting trucks and all other forms of traffic, this port is a dream come true. It has a direct connection to the highway, which is a great advantage for Gaženica port.

Marko Polo officers

There were a lot of trucks on the year-round line from Zadar to Ancona, and then the management of Jadrolinija declared it unprofitable because their criterion for this was a certain number of passengers.