Resumen de The railway hinterland connection: The key factor in the development of north adriatic ports
Maja Stojaković, Elen Twrdy, Marina Zanne
North Adriatic ports (hereinafter NA ports), namely the ports of Koper, Rijeka, Trieste, Venice and Ravenna could be considered as a single port system due to their geographic proximity and operation particularities that differ somewhat in respect to other European ports. In fact, these ports operate in a moderately closed system within which at the same time cooperate and compete among each other. However, these ports are located in three countries that have witnessed different socio-economic progress and thus have diverse developmental possibilities. In addition, these countries have distinct attitudes towards ports and their significance and consequently their development. Being the only international cargo port in Slovenia, the Port of Koper plays an important role in Slovenian economy as it contributes significantly to the national GDP. It is thus of extreme importance to fully understand the factors that influence the port’s performance and to create a detailed investments plan, with a special focus given to container throughput development as containerized cargo is considered a strategic cargo for the Port of Koper.
The paper gives a brief outline of a fifteen year development of container throughput in NA ports and it presents opportunities and risks of these ports’ further development. Special attention is given to the hinterland railway connection of the ports as this is identified as one of the most important developmental factors.
