May the 30th, 2021 - A large Rijeka investment has been planned as the Viktor Lenac shipyard puts a massive 40 million euro cash injection into a new dock for the turnover and renovation of larger vessels.

As Novac/Jozo Vrdoljak writes, the management of the Rijeka-based Viktor Lenac shipyard is preparing a serious Rijeka investment with an estimated value of around 35 million euros. Such an amount would be invested in the project of the reconstruction and upgrade of part of the floating dock to its Suezmax size, with whicn the existing Dock 11 would be replaced, the most significant dock in this overhaul shipyard.

The goal of replacing the existing Dock 11, with which Viktor Lenac generates about a third of its revenue, with a new floating dock is to better adapt to current market needs, meet energy efficiency requirements, protect the environment and reduce operating costs of the dock's management in general. The deadline for the completion of the dock and its commissioning is scheduled for the first quarter of 2023.

The new dock, which will be slightly longer and wider than the existing Dock 11, represents the capacity to accommodate ships up to Suezmax size. These are not complete investments because they are also expected in the arrangement of one shore connection, which, together with regular annual investments in production equipment in the next two to three years, will reach a value of about 40 million euros. Viktor Lenac plans to secure this amount with a long-term loan from HBOR and commercial banks in the amount of 28 million euros, with a target repayment period of 15 years, and the remaining 12 million euros would be secured by its own contribution from EBITDA and sale of the current Dock 11 in scrap iron.

If this Rijeka investment successfully comes to fruition, a section weighing around 9,000 tonnes would be ordered from Croatian shipyards, and the final connection would be done by Viktor Lenac's own workers, as was revealed by the president of the Viktor Lenac shipyard's management, Sandra Uzelac. She added that this Rijeka investment project would have the status of a dock in construction, which is considered to be new construction in the shipbuilding segment.

"This investment would enable us to enter a new market niche for certain types of ships that the shipyard hasn't been able to receive in its docks so far. Primarily this refers to the segment of LNG ships, which will come to the nearby LNG terminal in Omisalj, as well as the Port of Rijeka and other cargo ship traffic in the vicinity of Viktor Lenac, which will not be significantly larger than what we had before, but will open up the space for the overhaul and docking of ships coming to the LNG terminal and Rijeka, as well as ships of other clients which are a bit heavier and require a higher lifting capacity of the dock.

This would certainly be a nice story if this Rijeka investment is realised, and we believe we will complete it because we're including Croatian shipyards in the project, and providing ourselves with new and greater opportunities. We aren't worried about the price of steel at the moment and we're still doing calculations in order to get to the real budget we need for this investment with the help of HBOR and commercial banks,'' explained Sandra Uzelac.

The renovation of Dock 5

Last year, Viktor Lenac had investments worth a total of 30.4 million kuna, of which the largest amount was invested in the reconstruction of its docks. The biggest investment was in the renovation of Dock 5, which also needed to be done for a new five-year class certificate.

In 2020, Viktor Lenac implemented 70 different overhaul projects, five of which began at the end of the year and continued throughout January 2021. Of the total 70 projects, five were related to projects contracted with no less than the US Navy. At the beginning of 2020, the work on the Bruce C. Heezen and on the Yuma ships was completed. At the height of the pandemic here in Europe, Trenton was located at the Viktor Lenac shipyard, where work was nearing completion at the time, and the arrival of Carson City was postponed from March to April due to compliance with the ship's fourteen-day quarantine period. Back in December 2020, overhaul work began on the Yuma ship.

Uzelac says that the Viktor Lenac shipyard achieved good business results even in such difficult circumstances.

"Our cooperation with US Navy is stable, but we can't count solely on that. These are stable and excellent revenues, but we also have to generate revenues from the overhaul of merchant ships. In the overhaul business it is common to not contract jobs several months in advance, so it's difficult to predict employment and market movements. It's difficult to know what could happen. That continues to be the case especially now, with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic on the global economy. However, some analysts predict that the overhaul market could be among the first to recover," Uzelac concluded.

For more, follow our business section.

May the 30th, 2021 - Jelena Pavicic Vukicevic, who stepped in as Zagreb's mayor following the premature and sudden death of longtime mayor Milan Bandic, has decided to leave the political scene and pursue another career in a very different field.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Jelena Pavicic Vukicevic, the current acting Mayor of Zagreb, failed to enter the second round of recent Croatian mayoral elections, so she decided on a change in her career path, opting instead to kickstart her scientific career as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Kinesiology in Zagreb, Jutarnji list reported on Saturday.

The Faculty of Kinesiology announced on its website that Dr. sc. Jelena Pavicic Vukicevic is to give an inaugural lecture as "an application in the process of election to the title of scientific-teaching title of assistant professor in the scientific field of social sciences, scientific field of pedagogy, for the subjects of pedagogy and didactics" on Wednesday.

Jelena Pavicic Vukicevic, while known for stepping into the role of Zagreb's mayor following Bandic's untimely death, is otherwise a doctor of science. Back in 2018 she received her doctorate in pedagogy, and now, after becoming an assistant professor, she will be able to work as an independent lecturer.

Her associates have confirmed that she will remain here in the Republic of Croatia and that she will teach at the Faculty of Kinesiology in Zagreb following her doctorate.

There was speculation in the media that Jelena Pavicic Vukicevic could leave Croatia upon stepping down from her current political role at the capital's helm.

The above could be heard being circulated in the corridors of the city administration because her husband works abroad, and she herself has openly said that such a possibility exists for her too, but that it is the least possible option when compared to remaining here in the country.

For more on Croatian politics, make sure to follow our dedicated section.

May 30, 2021 - Air Pannonia, an Osijek-based aircraft operator focused on business transport, strengthened its fleet with another business aircraft or the new Cessna - business aircraft with seven seats.

After two aircraft (CJ with registration marks 9A-JIM, and CJ2 with registration marks 9A-JIP), Air Pannonia thus becomes the only company in Croatia that owns three JETs, reports HRTurizam.

The Cessna is an aircraft that is one of the most comfortable in this class, and it arrived from the United Kingdom. Air Pannonia is now a recognizable brand in the European and wider market, so it is not surprising that there is a need for additional expansion and investment in fleet expansion.

“Given that the demand for CJ2 flights has increased, we have decided to follow the needs of the market and increase our capacity. Our regular customers are people from the business world, the world of sports, and show business who have a constant need for our services. In addition to our now three aircraft, we are proud of the new arrangement and expansion of service capacity and hangar at Klisa Airport, where we just organized the solemn arrival of our new aircraft," said Zrinka Kujundzija of Air Pannonia.

Air Pannonia is a sister company of Air Tractor, which has a 28-year aviation tradition. The company is family-owned, and they are the only company in Croatia that deals with all segments of aviation (pilot training, service, English language testing of pilots, medical organ transport, and of course, VIP transport for business users). Also, Air Pannonia is one of the initiators and founders of the Pannonian Health Health Tourism Cluster in Osijek.

Well done to Air Pannonia!

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

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May 30, 2021 - The Marina Kastela yacht fire on Saturday night destroyed 5 yachts and damaged 18. Fortunately, no one was hurt. 

An unprecedented fire broke out last night at around 8:30 pm on one of the anchored yachts in Marina Kastela. Five luxury boats about 20 meters long were completely burned. The damage will be in the millions of euros, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

In an instant, a fire raged on a yacht for reasons not yet determined. Crew members immediately tried to put out the fire, but unfortunately, without success.

After the ropes burned on the fire-affected yacht, the ship began to float around other anchored yachts worth millions, and it didn't take long for the flames to engulf the other ships. The fire brigade immediately was at the scene and started fighting the flames, which left behind black clouds of thick smoke, making it difficult to see Split from Kastela.

"This is terrible; I've never seen a fire like this before. At that moment, that yacht was all on fire and, unfortunately, it ended in flames. People were scattering in all directions; believe me, it looked like a state of war. People were screaming, jumping for help, and suddenly it erupted even larger. That burning ship suddenly moved away from where it was moored, and the flames immediately engulfed the other yachts. Plastic was burning, probably also oil derivatives that were in them, so it is not surprising that there was so much black smoke," said one shocked local near Marina Kastela.

DVD Kastel Gomilica also arrived in Marina Kastela. The owner of Marina Kastela, Joško Berket, exclusively told Slobodna Dalmacija about the incident and how grateful he was that no one was injured. 

"I can confirm to you that five yachts burned and that the material damage was extremely great. The fire broke out on one of the yachts destroyed by the fire and the cause, although not yet confirmed, is definitely a human factor. So it's not about installation and the like. A fire broke out in the yacht at one point, and the crew onboard went to put out the fire on their own. Their ropes burned in flames in the middle of the fire, and the ship began to float towards other anchored yachts.

The flames immediately engulfed another yacht and then three more. All firefighters are on the ground and the employees of Marina Kastela, and fortunately, the wind was not blowing at the time of the fire. The situation would be much worse, and it is still catastrophic. The fire was localized around 9:40 pm. The ships in flames were pulled out and towed from Marina Kastela to Kastela Bay," Marina Kastela owner Joško Berket said exclusively for Slobodna.

Last night, the mayor of Kastela, Denis Ivanović, immediately came to the scene and said that the situation was awful. Still, thanks to the composure of people and firefighters, the situation slowly calmed down at around 9:30 pm.

"The most important thing is that people are alive and healthy," Ivanović said briefly.

Crews and tourists were evacuated from the ships at around 9:15 pm, and the authorities in the Marina tried to provide them with temporary accommodation.

A big problem in organizing the evacuation was created by many Kastela residents and curious people who came to see what was happening, regardless of the possible danger.

Marina Kastela was full yesterday because, as a rule, there is a shift of guests on Saturdays. Some leave, and others come.

As Berket confirmed to Slobodna, three of the five boats were pulled from Marina Kastela into the bay, where two completely burned and sank to the seabed, one was towed to a nearby beach, and two burned on a pontoon in the Marina.

"All boats are fully insured, there was no major damage in Marina Kastela, and the police are now doing their job to determine the circumstances and cause of the fire," said Berket, who unofficially told Slobodna that the fire started from the kitchen of the destroyed yacht.

When asked if this incident will affect the Small Shipbuilding Days, which starts next week in Marina Kastela, Berket said that it would not because the event is being held in a completely different part of Marina Kastela.

For more news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

May 29, 2021 - Mateo Kovačić and Chelsea are the champions of Europe after defeating Manchester City 1:0 in the final tonight. 

Mateo Kovačić is the European champion with Chelsea! The Croatia national team player played the last 15 minutes in Chelsea's Champions League final win against Manchester City (1:0).

Kovačić had previously won three consecutive Champions League titles with Real Madrid, but never entered the pitch in any of the finals. He has thus played the Champions League final for the first time.

"Winning the Champions League is impressive. I did it three times with Real Madrid, but unfortunately, I never played in those finals. Despite that, I was there. And it's the team that wins. We all win and lose, as a team. Playing in the final would mean a lot to me," said the 27-year-old before the final, and coach Thomas Tuchel fulfilled his wish by bringing him on at the end of the match.

Croatia has had a Champions League winner every year since 2013, and Kovačić has extended this series for the ninth season. First, Mario Mandžukić celebrated with Bayern in 2013, followed by Luka Modrić with Real and Ivan Rakitić with Barcelona. After that, Luka Modrić and Mateo Kovačić were the best in Europe three times in a row, but Liverpool and Dejan Lovren broke Real's dominance in 2019. Last year, Ivan Perišić was better than PSG in the final against Bayern.

Source: Index.hr 

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ZAGREB, 29 May 2021 - Czech tourists will be able to enter Croatia without additional restrictions within 22 days of receiving the first COVID-19 vaccine shot, the foreign ministers of the two countries said on Saturday.

The decision should enter into force next week, when "the details are finalised at expert levels," Gordan Grlić Radman of Croatia said at a press conference.

The agreement between Croatia and the Czech Republic is "a great pattern for further bilateral agreements with other states," he added.

Croatian Tourism Minister Nikolina Brnjac said she would discuss this subject with her Austrian counterpart on Monday and that all tourist-generating markets would be contacted.

Czech Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek said Croatia was excellently prepared for the coming tourist season and that a Czech train which arrived today was just the beginning, as it would bring Czech as well as Slovakian and Hungarian tourists every day from now on.

He said Croatia had allowed children under 12 to enter without restrictions and that this was very positive for many Czech families.

Kulhanek announced that as in previous years, two Czech consular offices would be open this year, in Split and Rijeka, and that Czech police officers would arrive for joint patrols with Croatian police.

He said Prague supported Croatia's entry to the Schengen area because, he added, Croatia deserved it.

ZAGREB, 29 May 2021 - Adriatic states are a rich tourism whole but have a lot of untapped potential which should be promoted also outside the short and intense season, participants in a regional tourism project said in Subotica, Serbia on Saturday.

Landscape Days, held in the Zasavica Special Nature Reserve near Sremska Mitrovica, are part of the Adrilink project which encompasses ten partner cities in seven Adriatic countries - Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania and Greece.

The project partners in Croatia are the municipality of Mošćenička Draga and the town of Vrsar.

"The goal is a common vision of the landscape as a driver of the local development of the Mediterranean-Adriatic-Ionian economy, and the project envisages using modern information and communication technology to promote new destinations among tourists by making them more attractive, and to extend the season," said Svetlana Sabo, a member of the project team.

The Adrilink project lasts from 1 February 2020 to 31 July 2022, and one of its results should be a sustainable common strategy, new common itineraries, and linking ten interpretation centres in the seven countries though an app and a digital platform.

The goal is to offer tourists new challenges and the discovery of new natural and cultural landscapes such as nature reserves and the historical and cultural heritage.

ZAGREB, 29 May 2021 - The first 187-seat passenger Boeing 737-800 of the new Croatian airline ETF Airways was presented at Pula Airport on Saturday and another one is expected at the beginning of next month.

ETF Airways was established last year with the signing of the first permanent contract on connecting destinations in Southeast Europe with those across the EU, it was said.

"The market is recovering quickly after the spring easing of the pandemic. The demand for our services outside Croatia is growing above our expectations. We have a great team of people who have managed to respond to every challenge and prepare our company for the first season of operations with two Boeing airplanes. This is the first time in the past 30 years that Boeing is appearing on the Southeast European market," ETF Airways CEO Stjepan Bedić said.

"Beginning operations outside Croatia does not mean that ETF Airways won't become an important bridge for Croatia's tourism. It's a big world, but we are first of all a Croatian company. A charter plane is an irreplaceable air motorway and we are sure that the opening of new markets and bridges to high-income travellers will continue in the years ahead," said Velimir Šonje, deputy chair of the airline's supervisory committee and one of its investors.

ETF Airways will not be a line carrier but base its business strategy on charter flights and wet lease contracts, i.e. leasing aircraft and crew to other airlines or businesses.

"For smaller airlines it's almost impossible to compete with giants like Ryanair and Lufthansa. However, there are many niches on the market, in part related to tourism, in which there is more than enough room for companies like us," said management board member Marko Banković.

Among the guests at Pula Airport was Boeing's director for Europe, Matthew Bull, and an envoy of Croatia's tourism minister, Ivo Bašić, who said that enterprise initiative like this one were important from a number of aspects as they strengthened Croatia's position on the air destination map.