ZAGREB, 11 Sept (Hina) - The arrival of the first commercial container ship on Wednesday morning marked the start of the operational work at the new Rijeka Gateway container terminal in the Port of Rijeka.

Following the first phase of investment, the terminal now has an annual handling capacity of 650,000 container units (TEU).

In the early morning, the container ship Al Jasrah, 368 metres in length and capable of carrying nearly 15,000 TEU, docked at the terminal. Today, 1,414 loaded containers were unloaded from the vessel, and 300 empty containers were loaded onto it.

Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butković stated at a press conference held in the new terminal administration building - the renovated Warehouse 22 - that this marks a historic moment for Rijeka, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and Croatia.

The minister said it had taken a long time to reach this point - the arrival of the first vessel at one of the most modern and technologically advanced terminals in this part of Europe.

He highlighted that the project had faced many challenges, particularly in terms of financing and the construction of the D403 road, which connects the terminal to the Rijeka bypass.

The minister added that the existing railway infrastructure is operational and will meet the needs of both terminals - Rijeka Gateway and Brajdica - but without the full construction of the lowland railway, "we will not be the most successful."

He stated that European funds are available for the project to build the railway to Rijeka and emphasised that the entire process needs to be accelerated. Butković announced that a presentation on the matter will be held at the Government in the coming days.

Increase in traffic at Port of Rijeka

Butković also stated that traffic at the Port of Rijeka has increased by 11% this year, with container traffic up by 18%.

He noted that with the start of operations at the new terminal, these figures are expected to rise even further by the end of the year.

Peter Corfitsen, CEO of Rijeka Gateway, thanked all those who believed in the project for their partnership and cooperation. He expressed his confidence that the terminal - which currently employs 250 people and will have 300 staff - has the potential to become one of the best in this part of the world.

Tomislav Rosandić, Member of the Management Board of Rijeka Gateway, highlighted that the terminal teams underwent thorough training and visited terminals around the world to learn about the most advanced practices.

He stressed that rail connectivity is key to the terminal's future, with the aim of shifting an increasing share of cargo transport onto the rail network.

Denis Vukorepa, Director of the Port of Rijeka Authority, described the terminal as the largest and most complex generational project, noting that total investment in the terminal and transport infrastructure amounts to approximately €600 million.

Joint investment by Maersk and ENNA Group

The concession agreement for the development and commercial use of the terminal was signed in November 2021.

The Rijeka Gateway terminal is a joint investment by APM Terminals (part of the Maersk Group) and the ENNA Group, structured in two phases.

The first phase involved an investment of €200 million, covering the construction of the terminal's core infrastructure, the acquisition of state-of-the-art container cranes, and the establishment of logistics support systems.

In the second phase, an additional €180 million is planned to be invested over the next 10 years.

In its first phase, the terminal features a 400-metre operational quay with a depth of 20 metres, and an annual handling capacity of 650,000 TEU. The second phase includes plans to extend the quay to 680 metres, increase annual capacity to 1.055 million TEU, and accommodate vessels with capacities of up to 24,000 TEU.

The terminal is now equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure, including four remotely operated ship-to-shore (STS) container cranes, 15 rubber-tyred gantry cranes, two rail-mounted gantry cranes, and 28 terminal tractors. All systems are integrated into a single centralised control centre, and operations will be managed using cutting-edge technology, with full automation and the use of renewable energy sources.