Jadrolinija introduces new lines while reducing old ones

Jadrolinija is announcing new year-round lines Baška-Lopar-Baška and Veli Lošinj-Rab-Veli Lošinj. Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Prefect Zlatko Komadina announced at a press conference the Decision on the establishment of the high-speed county and inter-county lines that are used for contracting large works in the port areas of that county.

As Komadina states, Crikvenica-Šilo line enabled the project of expanding the port of Crikvenica. There is also inter-county line Rab-Lun.

At the same time, Jadrolinija announced reductions in their ferry schedule which made locals angry.

Last week’s decision by the government that shipowners maintaining 54 national sea passenger lines will be able to reduce the number of voyages on a particular line during the COVID-19 epidemic, with the consent of the Coastal Shipping Agency (AOLPP) and local governments, is unlikely to have a major impact on the number of departures of ships, ferries and catamarans on national routes, at least judging by the answers to our inquiries from local island governments, but also AOLPP and Jadrolinija, the largest passenger shipping company.

A few days ago, the Government, by amending the decision on determining state lines in coastal shipping, gave the Management Board of the Coastal Shipping Agency the authority to approve a request to shipowners to change the scope of navigation if it is in line with the actual needs of users and local and regional self-government. The explanation for such a move was given by the Minister of Maritime Affairs Oleg Butković, saying that due to the impact of the pandemic, shipowners performing public coastal maritime transport recorded a significant decline in traffic on state lines, which greatly affects overall business and significantly reduces revenue and thus liquidity of shipowners.

By the way, there are 54 state lines in regular public transport in regular coastal maritime transport in Croatia, and HRK 327 million has been provided from the state budget this year, while HRK 340 million is planned for the next two years. State lines are maintained by 14 shipowners with 82 ships, of which as many as 35 lines are maintained by Jadrolinija, from which, when asked about a possible reduction in the number of departures, they point out that they do not expect significant changes in sailing schedules.

The mayor of Mali Lošinj, Ana Kučić, points out that the issue of the number of departures of ferry and boat lines between the island and the mainland is always a “hot” topic among the island’s population.

Her colleague, the mayor of Novalja on the island of Pag, Ante Dabo, is also strongly opposed to any reduction in the number of departures on the ferry line Prizna – Žigljen.

At the same time, the Deputy Mayor of Cres, Marin Gregorović, resents the government because it did not consult the island self-government before making the decision, reminding the islanders that the boat lines are bridges to the mainland. He also adds it would be nice to see ferries with environmentally sustainable propulsion on lines Brestova – Porozina and Valbiska – Merag.

Source: Novilist.hr, Morski.hr