EUSAIR - Final Report

»We produce
oil from olives
growing in the
port area«
Interview with Dimitrij Zadel,
President of the Management Board,
The Port of Koper
With the project “We take care of your cargo,
you take care of your health”, you won first prize for
the best good practice of Covid-19 communication.
How else did the pandemic mark last year in the
Port of Koper? What challenges did you face?
The new coronavirus pandemic had a major impact on global
trade flows last year, which was also felt in the Port of Koper,
for example in product groups related to the automotive industry,
raw materials, metal products, components and, finally,
finished products. We thus ended 2020 with a total throughput
of 19.5 million tons of goods, which is 14% less than the
year before. Nevertheless, we are satisfied with the result,
since we managed to maintain almost the same quantities for
containers in the field of strategic cargo. Vehicle throughput
also gradually improved in the second half of the year.
We did not have any major consequences in the team due
to the pandemic, since we successfully curbed the spread of
the virus through numerous measures, especially by informing
and raising the awareness of our employees. We must
not forget that port infrastructure is of strategic importance
to the country, so we cannot afford to stop work in the port.
The EU strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region
promotes the development of intermodular transport.
Is the expansion of the container terminal part
of the effort in this direction?
It is true that the Port of Koper is following the strategy
and strengthening the container and car terminal with
investments. Last year, we handed over a new RO-RO berth
(berth for ships with cars), an additional group of tracks at
the car terminal, a new garage house, a new, third truck
entrance to the port and the extension of the first pier or
container terminal, which is the most important investment
within the current strategic business plan. We have bet our
future on rail links. Already today, almost 60% of all goods
arriving or leaving the port travel by rail, which is one of
the highest percentages among European ports.
As the junction of two important European transport
corridors, the Adriatic-Baltic and the Mediterranean,
the Port of Koper is recognized as one of the core ports
of the European Union. You also have great connections
to the hinterland. How do you assess the current transport
connections in the Adriatic-Ionian region? Where
do you see the biggest development opportunities?
Despite the various modes of transport, competition
between ports today is in fact taking place on the railways.
When logisticians choose ports today, the key
decision-making factor is the rail link to the hinterland.
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