Port of Koper, plan for pier 3 - panoramic view

Port of Koper, Pier III

Description

The aim of the "Pier III" project is to create an additional container terminal in the Port of Koper, in order to cater for an annual container transshipment capacity of 750,000 TEUs. The establishment of such a terminal requires the construction of an additional pier (Pier III). Pier III will have an operative berth of approximately 1,000 m for the berthing of vessels with a draught of up to 17 meters, a warehouse area of approximately 1,000 m x 200 m, railway tracks, access roads and other infrastructure. As well as this, Pier III will house an administrative building with the required infrastructure and a protection wall on the northern side to reduce any negative impact on the immediate environment. The following equipment will be used for the handling of containers in the coastal area, on railway tracks and on other warehousing surfaces: STS cranes, RTG cranes, RMG cranes, reach stackers, forklifts with grippers and tug trucks with terminal trailers. The total value of the investment amounts to EUR 490 million. After the adoption of a new spatial planning document, project documentation will need to be prepared and a construction permit obtained – this will take approximately one year to complete. The construction works can then commence and completion is envisaged within a time period of 6 years. The pier will be constructed in phases and so part of the terminal will be available for use before the completion of the entire works.

Current situation

Luka Koper (the Port of Koper) is one of the most important strategic platforms in Slovenia, representing all the major transport and logistics activities of national and broader regional significance. Despite the current global economic crisis, the international dimensions of the maritime economic sector and the expected favorable market position in Eastern Europe provide the Port of Koper with many development opportunities. Moreover, many shipping companies already operate there and maintain regular shipping connections both to and from the Port. The trend in recent years clearly shows that shipping companies have become aware of the advantages of using this shipping route and are considering the possibility of relocating part of their goods quantities to there from northern ports, in particular goods flows from the Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia to Central and South Eastern Europe and vice-versa.

Description of the investment opportunity

With regard to its business strategy, the Port of Koper believes that it will succeed in strengthening port operations and handle at least 18 million tons of different types of freight. World trends also indicate that land transport routes are becoming overburdened. For shorter distances, it is also expected that the preferred method of freight transportation will gradually shift from land to sea.

Definition of the investment value

The estimated value of the construction of Pier III is EUR 490 million. This figure includes the costs associated with the construction of the embankment and the coast, the excavation of the aquatorium, the construction of tracks, power supply and public utility infrastructures. It also includes the arrangement of open areas, the construction of an administrative building and service premises, a photovoltaic noise protection wall covered with vegetation and the spatial planning of areas serving as substitute habitats, etc.

Project advantages

The Port of Koper has an extremely favorable strategic geographical position for supply to the markets of Central and Eastern Europe, particularly the fast-growing markets across the Suez Canal, (i.e. the Middle East, India and the Far East). Investors involved in transportation and logistics activities would therefore be interested in handling goods flows on such a prosperous route.

Contact point:

Ministry of Transport

Langusova ul. 4, SI-1535 Ljubljana 

Phone: +386 (0)1 478 83 21

Fax:: 01/478 81 41

e-mail: gp.mzp[@]gov.si

URL: www.mzp.gov.si