MANILA's International Container Terminal Services Inc's (ICTSI) subsidiary in Croatia, Adriatic Gate Container Terminal (AGCT), together with the Rijeka Port Authority (PRA) have come up with plans for a two-phase dredging scheme at the Port of Rijeka.

The first phase has been fully approved and will involve the dredging of 130 metres of quay over its Berths 1 and 2. This will facilitate the berthing of vessels with a length overall (LOA) of up to 400 metres. The work will be completed by mid-2020 and will provide 438 metres of berth with a depth alongside of 15 metres.



Financing for the infrastructure works has been provided by the EU and PRA, with ICTSI undertaking all the associated necessary investment in quayside and landside handling systems, as well as the increased coverage of the terminal's state-of-the-art IT systems.



The second phase foresees additional dredging alongside the 438-metre quay to a depth of 16.5 metres. Once completed, this project will make AGCT the first terminal in the northern Adriatic able to berth vessels of up to 20,000 TEU capacity, with an LOA of up to 400 metres and beam of 59 metres.



Said AGCT chief executive Wojciech Szymulewicz: 'The capacity expansion will also deliver an overall boost to efficiency levels at the terminal, building upon the strengths we have already established in terms of vessel and truck turnaround as well as intermodal rail connectivity.'



Complementing these initiatives are new super postpanamax cranes with an outreach of 24 rows, as part of the berth upgrade; and new rubber-tyre gantries (RTGs) and prime movers introduced on the landside.



Work is also now advanced on upgrading AGCT's on-dock rail terminal to offer an annual capacity of 360,000 TEU per year. The upgraded rail yard will feature two new rail-mounted gantries (RMGs) over four rail lines. The upgrade will be completed in the last quarter of 2019.



Total terminal yard capacity will be increased up to 600,000 TEU per year in line with demand, according to the ICTSI statement.



'The Port of Rijeka and AGCT are a very competitive option in the Adriatic,' notes Hans-Ole Madsen, ICTSI senior vice president and regional head of Europe-Middle East-Africa.



'While the volume through AGCT has risen modestly year on year, the expansion programme will future proof the terminal in terms of both providing new volume capacity for the longer term and meeting new system requirements, notably accommodating bigger vessels and boosting the intermodal rail capability.'


WORLD SHIPPING