The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has seen many a previously planned investment grind to a halt not only here in Croatia (where investments are tricky enough) but across the world. Thankfully, that isn't the case for all of them, and the cash injection for the brand new Korcula Port is just one which is set to go ahead on the popular Dalmatian island.

As Morski writes on the 24th of June, 2020, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure has made a decision on financing the project governing the new Korcula Port, more precisely the new Port of Polaciste in the amount of 182.6 million kuna.

This covers 100 percent of all of the eligible project costs with a total value of 189.7 million kuna, of which 155.2 million kuna (or 85 percent in total) has been financed from the Cohesion Fund, and 27.4 million kuna (or 15 percent) comes directly from the state budget of the Republic of Croatia.

The new Korcula Port (Port of Polaciste) will be a port which is open to public traffic and is a maritime construction facility which will possess the function of accepting vessels in maritime traffic. It covers more than 500 metres of operational shoreline, and the entire port will cover a little more than 20 thousand square metres in total. The construction of the new Korcula Port will relieve the core of Korcula Town of some of the crowding. It has so far been under pressure from maritime traffic, especially during the busy summer months when tourists are abundant.

The port will be primarily intended for the reception of ferries operating within local traffic lines such as Peljecac - Korcula, as well as for the reception of other vessels operating within domestic regular traffic. A maritime border crossing is also planned within the port.

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February 15, 2020 - The new Korcula port project will modernize the transport infrastructure and quality of connectivity for Korcula island with the surrounding islands and the mainland, but also create better conditions for increasing the quality of life of the islanders

Dalmacija Danas reports that after signing the Contract with COIN d.o.o. for the preparation of the main project of the new port of Polačišta in March 2019, a procedure for all necessary documentation for issuing a building permit followed. 

The value of the new Korcula port is approximately 150 million kuna and is funded by the Cohesion Fund of the European Union. The ŽLU Korcula is taking further steps in preparing the application for the grant contract, followed by public tenders for the contractor.

This project is of infrastructural importance for Korcula in terms of improving connectivity and infrastructure development. The aim of the project is to modernize the transport infrastructure and the quality of connectivity for Korcula island with the surrounding islands and the mainland, but also create better conditions for increasing the quality of life of the islanders. The implementation of this project and achieving the objective will ensure long-term sustainability and improve the quality of public maritime transport and increase passenger safety, jobs and stop young people from leaving the island.

“The new port of Korcula, as the largest project of the County Port Administration of Korcula, is a maritime construction facility in the function of receiving vessels of public maritime transport, then supply vessels, tourist and other vessels, both in local and international traffic. The eastern part of the port is planned for domestic passenger traffic or receiving ferries on the local line Korcula - Peljesac, as well as other vessels (catamarans, liners, tourists, etc.). 

In the western part of the port, there is a building of the port terminal that will receive passenger ferries in international traffic. On the far northwestern part of the coast, there is a pier, with the possibility of receiving vessels, both from the outside and from the inside. Overall, the port of Polačišta has about 550 m of operational coast, covering an area of ​​about 20 000 m2 and represents the largest investment in the port infrastructure for the island itself,” explained the director Ante Tvrdeić.

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In the past two days, Korčula Port Authority has been very actively communicating with the public.