Ports : Port of Koper remains fully operational
The phytosanitary certificates for two vessels coming from Egypt were already sent
We can assure that the Port of Koper is currently fully operational despite various safety measures taken to protect employees and everyone else in the port area and to reduce the spreading of the Covid 19 infection. The border post control and customs authorities are working 24/7 and in compliance of safety measures, ensuring safe traffic of goods.
We would like to inform you that rail freight traffic across all border crossings and on the territory of the Republic of Slovenia is running normally. Despite certain limitations of road traffic in neighbouring countries and on road border crossings, road freight traffic, including transit road freight traffic is running normally.
Due to the COVID 19 and in order to support health and safety in road freight transport, the Ministry of Infrastructure has suspended the limitation for truck traffic in Slovenia – vehicles with a maximum permissible weight more than 7.500 kg – on Sundays and non-working days from 8 am to 9 pm and on Friday before Easter holiday from 2 pm to 9 pm.
The logistic route through the Port of Koper and through Slovenia is working without disruptions and reliably
Is short-sea-shipping an alternative to the road transport in these days?
While operations at Koper port continue unhindered, we are noticing some changes on inland cargo flows.
As long-distance trucking in these days is facing some slowdown – especially due measures implemented across national borders (stricter controls and longer waiting times, smaller border crossing being closed) and mandatory transiting in convoys in some parts of EU – we can report that some customers, as a measure of precaution, have shifted some more cargo to the rail.
In organizing of your cargo deliveries across southern Europe, we would like to remind you about some interesting short-see-shipping options from Koper:
– Thessaloniki -> Koper 8 days
– Piraeus -> Koper (or v.v.) 3 days
– Gioia Tauro -> Koper 3 days (or 2 days v.v.)
– Izmir -> Koper (5 days)
– Gemlik -> Koper or v.v. (5 days)
– Koper -> Mersin 5 days/
Simplified procedures for imports of agricultural products
Europe is a major importer of fruit and vegetables and especially in these days the movement of perishables is of high importance. The European Commission is making efforts to facilitate the flow of agricultural products, not only among the EU members, but also on arrival from third countries. Inspection authorities of these third countries were informed that they can e-mail the already issued scanned export certificates directly to the EU Border control post (BCP), and the original certificate has to be delivered to the BCP as soon as possible.
Koper port community welcomes this initiative in order to speed up the deliveries. The phytosanitary certificates for two vessels coming from Egypt were already sent through this faster alternative – on the picture one of these first vessels, the Lucie Schulte, unloading its load of potatoes, garlic and oranges on 6 April 2020.
Slovenia is investing in its railway network
With around 60 % share in the modal split, Port of Koper is highly dependent on rail transport. There are currently 6 major modernization/new construction projects in progress on the Slovenian national rail network.
Most of them are focused at increasing capacity, increasing axle load capacity to category D4 (22,5 tons), improve safety systems and ensuring interoperability through the European Train Control System (ETCS). At Luka Koper we are glad to see these projects continue in full swing, while working at the same time on various port investments.
Luka Koper’s strategic business plan 2020 – 2025
Luka Koper has in December 2019 adopted a new strategic business plan 2020 – 2025. In the next 5 years Luka Koper plans to invest 577 million euros in new port facilities. Priority is given to additional berths and storage areas for container and car segment, and to spatial consolidation of all terminals. This will allow us to be well prepared for the opening of the new railway line in the future.
Trade between countries and continents is increasingly depending on fast and efficient transport links. In logistics, the cost of the entire logistics route, i.e. the sum of all costs of sea and land transport, is more and more at the centre of attention. The new strategic business plan focuses especially on the development of port facilities, digitalization, effective hinterland connections and support by all
Press – Release : special for Blue Economy
