As Morski writes on the 5th of September, 2019, the launch of a long-range unmanned aerial vehicle system to monitor the security, safety and overall cleanliness of the Croatian Adriatic sea is set to enhance security at sea.

The launch of the new unmanned aerial maritime surveillance system, organised by the naval safety administration of the Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, took place at Brač Airport at 14.00, in the presence of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), the Armed Forces The Republic of Croatia and the Central coordination for the protection of the rights and interests of the Republic of Croatia at sea, as well as representatives of shipping companies and ports, and various representatives of the scientific and professional community.

The unmanned aerial vehicle, ''Schiebel Camcopter S-100'' consists of a ground control unit and an aircraft with vertical takeoff and flight of up to 100 kilometres. The unmanned aircraft is designed for six hours of autonomy and is equipped with state-of-the-art sensor equipment, which allows for both day and night operation.

The project for the implementation of the unmanned aerial vehicle surveillance system for the Adriatic was realised as part of a comprehensive maritime surveillance project, implemented by EMSA with national authorities responsible for navigation safety and marine protection, and is of particular national and public interest, since the use of this technology will make a significant contribution to strengthening the capacity for operational monitoring at sea by improving the quality, accessibility and efficiency of public services in the navigation safety system.

Namely, the continuous improvement of the level of navigation safety in inland waters, the territorial sea and protected ecological and fishing zones of the Republic of Croatia is among the priority goals of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, which has recognised the importance of using modern technologies in order to improve efficiency and reduce the operational costs of monitoring.

Therefore, the operational testing of long-range, unmanned aerial vehicles is being carried out, ready for action at any time, as part of both regular and extraordinary activities, to protect human lives and property at sea, to prevent and combat pollution, and to respond promptly in the event of maritime accidents, as well as search and rescue missions and other events at sea.

By introducing unmanned aerial vehicles to support safe navigation and the protection of the Adriatic sea from pollution, the Republic of Croatia ranks among the first European Union members to implement this system, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs proudly notes.

Watch the video of the Adriatic sea's new unmanned guardian here:

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As Morski writes on the 29th of May, 2019, the construction of a coastal belt and the new breakwater is a new project of the Zadar County Port Administration in the ports of the Zadar region's islands which are now waiting for  the necessary construction permits, as well as to be registered as candidates for funding from the Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure within the scope of the "Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020" program.

The above project is worth a massive thirty million kuna, with the investor, the Zadar County Port Authority, accounting for 75 percent of the investment within this program. Currently, the largest port facility operation in Zadar County, the construction of a ferry port in Tkon on the island of Pašman, is funded mostly by money from the aforementioned fund, Zadarski.hr writes.

With this investment, the northern shore of the harbour or the bay in Sali will be extended and properly arranged in the length of an additional 150 metres, while the new breakwater which is also set to be constructed in Sali will be 114.5 metres in length.

The new pier will fully protect the Sali's harbour, and thus far more securely, from potentially damaging and strong southeastern winds, and the new shoreline and breakwater will provide new berths for the transit needs of Sali's local harbour within a concession held by the Sali-based communal company "Mulić".

Davor Škibola, the director of ŽLU Zadar, said that all preparations for the realisation of this project could be completed by the end of this year, and that things could be wrapped up at the time, or at the latest at the beginning of next year, when the construction of a new part of Sali's riva (waterfront) and the breakwater would finally begin.

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Click here for the original article by Zadarski.hr

As Suzana Varosanec/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 23rd of May, 2019, investors have recognised the potential, which for the Port of Rijeka, means a step forward to the leading container-logistics centre in the Northern Adriatic.

With new investments, Rijeka is being returned to the former position that it once enjoyed at the tail end of the 1970's, when it was a large and significant port centre. Those have been the type of messages sent to the director of the Rijeka Port Authority, Denis Vukorepa, on the occasion of the completion of the Zagreb Deep Sea Container Terminal (Zagreb DSCT) project in the Port of Rijeka.

There has been a great level of interest from potential concessionaires, including as many as seven of the world's largest operators from Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. Officially, the Chinese, and also the CRBC which is currently building Pelješac Bridge, have made themselves known.

The Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butković, will also visit the terminal at which the works are taking place today. To briefly recall, the most important capital project in the Rijeka Gateway Project II, worth 112.5 million euros, of which 84 million euro is from a World Bank loan, while 28.5 million euros is financed by the state. However, in addition to those amounts, the Rijeka Port Administration has continued to invest 40-50 million euros in its own investments.

When this part is completed, individual talks are expected in June and July when potential concessionaires will present their respective terminal management concepts.

It's certainly not excluded that the interest for the second phase of the construction of the terminal will gain traction, and for which permits have been prepared. The expected term for the signing of a contract currently stands at the end of September.

Traffic in the Rijeka basin in the container area has increased by about ten percent over more recent years, but a more dynamic growth in freight volumes and cargo flow is expected, which is the subject of interest for rail freight operators, and is expected to attract a larger volume of truck traffic.

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Click here for the original article by Suzana Varosanec for Poslovni Dnevnik

A bit of ''cosmetic surgery'' for Pag's main waterfront (riva) as the reconstruction and upgrading of this heavily frequented area gives the town and the island a breath of new life.

As Novac/Jutarnji writes on the 19th of May, 2019, in approximately twenty days, the reconstruction and upgrading of the popular island's main waterfront with a small harbour in the town of Pag, ''Katina'', will finally be completed, and then that part of the coastline in Pag will be ''released'' for general use in its brand new, done up and completely revised edition.

In the reconstruction of Katina harbour, the Zadar Port Authority, with partial support from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure headed by Oleg Butković, and Zadar County, invested a massive 5.8 million kuna, and the necessary works were executed by the Zagreb-based company PGP.

The aforementioned works saw the deepening of the bay area in front of Katina, an important coastal wall was properly repaired and two 50 and 80 metre-long pontoons were erected, which resulted in one hundred new berths for boats, according to a report from Zadarski.hr.

At the celebration of the Day of the City of Pag which took place on Friday, the project was presented to the participants of Pag's annual celebration, including to the minister of the competent Ministry, Oleg Butković. Pag riva's new look was presented by Davor Škibola, the director of the Zadar County Port Authority which, as mentioned, was among the investors.

On this occasion, Minister Butković referred to this particular port authority as "the best in Croatia" primarily because of the number of projects it has accomplished or performed in the port areas it manages.

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Click HERE for images of Pag's brand new waterfront by night.

As Morski writes on the 21st of March, 2019, the first conference regarding the construction of a brand new ferry dock in the port of Kaprije has been held at Šibenik's city hall, handled by the Port Authority of Šibenik-Knin County.

The total value of the island's ferry dock project currently stands at over 11 million kuna, of which 9.3 million kuna is being financed by European Union funds, 1.6 million kuna is being co-financed by the Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, head by Oleg Butković, while the Port Authority of Šibenik-Knin County is participating in the project with a bit more than 42,000 kuna.

The details of the new Kaprije project were presented to those gathered by the director of the competent port authority, Željko Dulibić, who pointed out that the new pier will be 55 meters long, with a surface measurement of 330 square metres, and will allow for vessels with deeper beams that are less susceptible to the impact of winds to dock, and so that the island of Kaprije's inhabitants will be better connected to the mainland.

The location on which the ferry dock is set to be constructed is located in an area which is managed by by the Port Authority of Šibenik-Knin County and is located about 700 metres northwest of the centre of Kaprije.

The main objectives of the project are to improve the traffic connections of the island of Kaprije with the mainland City of Šibenik and the other islands which belong to the Šibenik archipelago, improve traffic safety within the centre of the bay and Kaprije, improve the access of Kaprije's residents to their respective workplaces, education facilities, medical facilities and other such locations which typically lie on the mainland, and reduce traffic congestion and noise as well as aim to improve overall traffic safety within the centre of the bay and Kaprije.

The current foreseen deadline for the completion of this infrastructure project is summer 2020.

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