A joint venture between Maersk’s terminals unit and Croatia’s ENNA Group has marked the beginning of the construction of the future €380m ($405m) Rijeka Gateway terminal – the largest investment in the history of the Croatian port of Rijeka.
The container terminal, which will start operating in 2025, will be developed in two phases, with more than €200m invested in phase one over the next two years. The move will see the creation of 300 jobs on the terminal itself and will be followed by an additional €180m investment within the next 10 years.
In November 2021, Maersk’s Dutch-based port operator APM Terminals (APMT) and Enna Logic signed a 50-year concession agreement to design, build and operate a terminal on Croatia’s North Adriatic coast.
APMT said Rijeka Gateway will be the first port on the Adriatic with remote-controlled, electrical container cranes and a quay depth of 20 m, fit to welcome some of the world’s largest container vessels. It will be able to process a total of 650,000 teu annually, and this is expected to increase to over 1m teu per year in the next phase.
The terminal, which will be APMT’s 66th in its portfolio, will serve as a main entry point to hinterland countries and markets. It will also have a key role in the development of the local economy, as most project contracts are, and will continue to be, fulfilled by local and domestic companies, the company added.
Aymeric Chandavoine, president Europe at A.P. Moller – Maersk, stated: “I am privileged to reaffirm Maersk’s strong commitment to Croatia. We have been present in the Croatian market since 2004 and we continue to expand our footprint. Once completed, Rijeka Gateway will provide new opportunities by significantly reducing transit times to the Adriatic and Central European markets. Thanks to its rail connectivity with the hinterland it will open a new logistics chapter for Croatia and the region.”
