ADRIATIC GATE Container Terminal in Rijeka, Croatia, a unit of Manila's International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI), has earmarked HRK133 million (US$22.2 million) to upgrade facilities this year, and another HRK88 million earmarked for 2013 capital improvements.

A year after taking over AGCT, the Filipino global port operator has developed and upgraded the terminal, spending HRK23 million in 2011, also taking over the Brajdica Container Terminal and bringing it under its brand name.

Infrastructure improvements included repairs in the container yard and roads, reconstruction of the rail yard, cleaning the seabed off the southern pier. Utilities upgrades include the installation of an autonomous fuel and power supply system. Apart from these, AGCT is preparing to further enhance facilities with the planned reconstruction of the existing yard, construction of new gates and the installation of European Union border inspection posts.

Currently, AGCT has a total terminal area of 13.9 hectares, and is planning to expand this to 16.8 hectares by 2013. Moreover, the 518-metre berth, and has 11.6 metres alongside after dredging. This will be further enlarged with the construction of the new 320-metre quay with 14.5 metres depth alongside in a year.

In information technology, AGCT has invested in the NAVIS terminal operating system, functioning since last year. AGCT will also order two postpanamax quay cranes, eight rubber tyre gantries as well as two rail mounted gantries from Shanghai's ZPMC. This new equipment will augment AGCT's two quay cranes, seven reach stackers, nine prime movers, 13 chassis and four forklifts.

Aside from serving the international trade of Croatia, AGCT is being primed to become the international trading gateway for central and south eastern Europe serving Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, south Poland, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, all of which are natural hinterlands of the Port of Rijeka.