Projects, plans envision modernisation of Durres port

29/05/2006

The European Investment Bank and the EBRD are funding projects in Albania to modernise the country's largest port, Durres. Responsible for almost 65 per cent of the country's import and export trade, the port is also a gate to the rest of the region.

By Erlis Selimaj for Southeast European Times in Tirana -- 29/05/06

Projects at the Durres port aim to increase levels of security for the movement of goods and people, while also preventing the trafficking of humans and drugs. [NATO]

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the EBRD are behind the project in Albania that is transforming the country's biggest port into a main regional connection point. The plan is to modernise the port and get it up to European standards, while other upcoming projects will improve infrastructure and the service.

A Croatian construction company finished a 10.5m-euro project earlier this month, which demolished several old buildings and improved the conditions in the area used for the import-exports and good transportation.

Albanian Minister of Transport and Telecommunication Lulzim Basha says that the project is one of the steps for Durres port transformation. "It is an important step to have a port up to international standards, to transform it in a short time into an important connection point for the region," Basha said.

Albanian authorities are finishing up negotiations on another agreement with the EIB and EBRD to fund for the reconstruction of the passenger terminals in Durres. Basha says that Albania is negotiating for 22m euros in funding, which will entirely change the port.

"We are also preparing reforms regarding the management of Durres port, and also in the other Albanian ports. We are aiming to give them with concession, as we see this as a better way to effectively use the capacities they offer," Basha said.

The projects in the Durres port aim to increase the levels of security on the movement of goods and people, while also preventing the trafficking of humans and drugs.

There are five ports in Albania open to international traffic: Durres, Vlora, Saranda, Shengjin and Himara -- with an average of about 5 million tonnes of cargo a year. Durres is the biggest port in Albania -- handling roughly 90 per cent of the country's international maritime trade tonnage, and 65 per cent of the country's total export and import trade.

The government is implementing a master plan for the development of the port -- aiming to improve capacity and efficiency. A Durres Industrial Park is being promoted by the EBRD, and is planned for just outside of the city. The government has also invested state funds to modernise the ports of Vlora, Saranda and Shengjin.

As the western end of the Pan-European Transport Corridor VIII, the port of Durrës has an essential role to play in the economic development of the country and the Western Balkan region, says EIB.

Durrës is also important to tourism. It is considered Albania's gate -- not only for the arrival and departure of ships carrying goods, but also for passengers, as it is connected daily with ferries to the Italian ports of Bari (300km away) and Brindisi (200km away).