Terminal je u visokoj fazi gradnje i opremanja

Rijeka, 17 February 2025 – Exactly four months after the delivery of the first two STS cranes, the remaining two STS (ship-to-shore) cranes arrived at the Rijeka Gateway terminal yesterday, completing the key equipment at the terminal, which is expected to open later this year.

Rijeka Gateway is a joint investment by Enna and APM Terminals and is one of the largest investments in logistics infrastructure in Croatia, worth a total of 380 million euros. The project brings significant economic benefits to the Rijeka area and beyond, while restoring the Port of Rijeka’s status as the most important container port in this part of Europe.

“The arrival of the last two STS cranes marks a crucial moment in the terminal’s construction, as the terminal’s equipment has reached 90% completion, and the overall project is approximately 75% finished. We are in the final phase of construction, which includes completing the key infrastructure of the terminal and renovating Warehouse 22. I am proud of the entire team that has made it possible for such a complex project to proceed according to plan and schedule. I would also like to thank the Government of the Republic of Croatia and all the institutions involved in the project for their understanding and for their exceptionally professional and swift approach in resolving all necessary permits and initiating all procedures required for the construction and operation of the terminal,” said Peter Corfitsen, CEO of Rijeka Gateway.

The last two STS cranes arrived in Rijeka on a ship that set sail from Shanghai to Croatia at the beginning of December last year. These modern super post-Panamax cranes, which feature increased reach and capacity, are designed to handle large container ships with more than 22 rows of containers. They enable the efficient cargo transfer between the quay and the largest container ships of today, with a capacity of up to 24,000 TEU.

Manufactured by Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company (ZPMC), the global leader in producing such cranes, the new STS units are identical in technical specifications to the previously delivered cranes. Equipped with an elevated “boom” for precise container handling, they are of impressive size, reaching a height of 138 metres, with each crane weighing 1,700 tonnes. For comparison, the tallest building in Croatia, the Dalmatia Tower in Split, stands at 135 metres, making it three metres shorter than the new cranes that have arrived at the Port of Rijeka.

The terminal will be the most technologically advanced in this part of Europe, with a strong focus on sustainability by maximising the reduction of environmental impact and its surroundings. In the first phase, the terminal will have an operational quay 400 metres long, with a depth of 20 metres, an annual handling capacity of 650,000 TEU, and the ability to accommodate ships with a capacity of up to 18,000 TEU. In the second phase, the quay line is planned to be extended to 680 metres, which will increase the annual handling capacity to 1,055,000 TEU and allow the accommodation of ships with a capacity of up to 24,000 TEU.

“The Rijeka Gateway terminal will not only be the largest and most modern in this part of Europe, but it will also be one of the most sustainable. As much as 95% of the equipment at the terminal will be electric, and we are sourcing energy exclusively from renewable sources, thus contributing to environmental preservation for future generations. We have also introduced modern water management systems, reduced light pollution through smart lighting systems, and implemented technologies that reduce noise, such as ‘soft landing’ for containers. All of these advanced technologies have been integrated into the project from the planning stage, all to demonstrate that we are a good neighbour to the citizens of Rijeka,” said Maja Borčić, Commercial Director of Rijeka Gateway.

The Rijeka Gateway project has already created 100 positions, and it is expected that once the terminal is operational, it will employ 300 people while indirectly generating many more opportunities in the Rijeka region by attracting additional investments.

“The future Rijeka Gateway container terminal is the largest, most important, and most complex project in our history; I would call it a generational project for the Port of Rijeka. When we sum up all the investments in the terminal and transport infrastructure, from roads to the railway interface in the port and around it, we arrive at a figure of about 600 million euros. Without a doubt, it will bring the Port of Rijeka, the Rijeka transport corridor, and the entire port and transport system of the Republic of Croatia to a leadership position in the northern Adriatic and the wider region,” said Denis Vukorepa, Director of the Port Authority of Rijeka.

The four impressive cranes were symbolically named after well-known women from Rijeka who have contributed to the city through their achievements. Their names were chosen through a vote on Facebook, in which nearly 8,000 people from Rijeka and the surrounding area participated. The cranes are named after Antonija Reljac, a symbol of the “milkmaids” from Grobnik, Zora Matijević, a teacher who became a heroine of World War II, Ada Felice Rošić, a key figure in the post-war reconstruction of Rijeka, and Snježana Pejčić, the first Croatian medalist at the Summer Olympic Games. Once completed, the terminal area will symbolically bear the name “Square of the Strong Women of the City of Rijeka,” reflecting the commitment to the local community and the terminal’s role as part of the urban fabric of the City of Rijeka.