Port of Koper handled the millionth TEU of 2022 on 22 December, becoming the first port in the Adriatic to exceed one million TEUs in a single year.
In the last two years, the Koper Container terminal in Slovenia has seen an intensive investment period, with a new extension of the quayside and additional stacking areas completed, while the latest improvement was the installation of two super post-panamax STS cranes in May this year.
According to the European port, all the investments were carried out with the terminal being fully operational.
“This is an important milestone, especially in light of the current global situation in the logistics sector. The company congratulates all the employees at the Container terminal and involved business partners, whose work justifies the reputation of the most important container terminal in the Adriatic,” commented Boštjan Napast, president of the management board of Luka Koper.
The further growth in container throughput and the high level of productivity will depend to a large extent on the Pier I extension project, according to the port’s announcement. These investments include additional quays and stacking areas on the northern part of Pier I, the purchase of additional shore cranes, the extension of the terminal’s rail yard, the expansion of the terminal’s storage areas in the hinterland and the purchase of various handling equipment.
Port of Koper’s officials believe the capacity increase is the answer to the expectations of ship owners and other port users. “The company will be able to maintain its competitive advantages, which for many years have put the Koper container terminal in first place in the Adriatic,” they said.
Furthermore, the new development cycle of the container terminal follows the timeline of the construction of the intra-Slovenia railway line Koper – Divača, which should be operational in 2026.
Miha Kalčič, director of the Koper Container terminal, stated that “this milestone is the proof that we have been working and investing in the right direction. This historic million is also important because it further strengthened us as the first container terminal on the Adriatic, which means we can expect new volumes and maritime services.”
