Why was the Rijeka-Dubrovnik ferry line actually cancelled?

The petition for the return of the Rijeka-Dubrovnik ferry line, signed by almost 3,000 people raised some questions, which, to put it mildly, raises doubts among those responsible about the veracity of the claimed reasons why the ferry line was cancelled. Mathematics can’t fool it, so in contact with people who are well acquainted with this problem, Morski.hr learned that the claim about the unprofitability of the line is everything but true!

A letter from a well-informed crew member states:

The math is simple, the cost of fuel and lubricants, along with the maintenance and salaries of seafarers, could not exceed HRK 150,000.00 per day, especially knowing that the initiative of the Croatian Seafarers’ Union abolished excise duties on fuel in 2014. This information was checked with my then machine manager.

The same crew member continues in the letter:

Analyzing the coastal line, we see that it connected the cities of Rijeka, Split and Dubrovnik with each other, as well as with the islands of Hvar (Starigrad port), Korčula and Mljet (Sobra port) and at the same time connected these islands. If this cannot be a state line then we did not deserve to be called a maritime but only a coastal country. This is evident from the systematic destruction of the entire seafaring through the years of growing up in our beautiful Croatia. We have what is most valuable, educated, certainly at the enviable expense of the state, capable seafarers that we drive out only out of ignorance of those responsible for the prosperity of the islands, maritime affairs, tourism and the entire Republic of Croatia.

Tomislav Paleka, the initiator of the petition commented on the situation:

Every outbound return trip was always filled to the brim, from April to October. The restaurant and bars worked great throughout the trip and the garage was always 100% sold out. No one mentions this profit and earnings, as well as empty free tickets that were largely distributed by the management (not the sailors). Simply, I think a real businessman would find a way to do business with profit.

Paleka

The initiator and the signatories of the petition want to know the answer to a few logical questions – What exactly was the price of sailing the ship to/from? How much was collected? What was the alleged loss? Where does the loss come from if it doesn’t exist? Why did the ferry line operate in the winter when it is not profitable?

However, these and other questions are rightly imposed, they remain open for now, but the curious will gladly accept logical, documented and justified answers.