February 12, 2021 - The upcoming Split Ferry Port reconstruction and expansion is the first significant investment in 150 years. 

At the end of January, the Split Port Authority signed a contract for expert supervision and a contractor to reconstruct and extend Prince Domagoj Coast in the Split City Port. The works are expected to start on February 19, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

As was announced earlier, at the beginning of December 2020, the community of bidders "Pomgrad inženjering" and "Građevno Zec" was selected, with a bid of HRK 30,556,248.91.

Two applications were also received for expert supervision, and the community of bidders "Kozina projekt" and "Terestrika" was selected, with a bid of HRK 834,187.50. "Oslonac" from Split demanded HRK 550,000 for its services. They were initially evaluated as the most favorable, but because they hired an expert with no experience in supervising higher-value projects, they lost points, and another was selected.

At the beginning of December, when signing the grant agreement for this project, Director Vice Mihanović announced the start of works at the end of 2020 and their completion within nine months.

However, as Slobodna Dalmacija has learned from the Port Authority, the public procurement procedure is such that the contract was signed only on January 26. The works will begin on February 19. They will be completed in 280 calendar days from the contractor's introduction, or about nine months. Thus, putting the new coast into operation is expected at the end of 2021.

The project does not envisage the road closure, and Mihanović has previously stated that, if that happens, the works will be interrupted during the season.

This project was financed through the "Renaissance on the Croatian Coast" project launched by the Ministry of the Sea last year. The estimated value is HRK 42.6 million, of which HRK 36 million was financed from the Cohesion Fund and the remaining amount from the state budget.

The reconstruction and expansion project is the first major investment on Prince Domagoj Coast after 150 years when it was created by pouring surplus material from the railway's excavation. Reconstruction is planned in its entire length in two phases, from the Lazaret shore to St. Peter's Pier and from St. Peter's Pier to St. Duje's Pier. 

The upgrade will enable the functioning of the operational shore for mooring and unmooring catamarans by separating the operational coast into the part for mooring, loading, and unloading, and the supply of ships from the part that serves for pedestrian communication. The green belt will separate part of the operating area used by cars and trucks to board ferries.

Currently, the coast is about four meters wide, and the plan is to expand to nine and a half meters towards the sea, with a total length of 260 meters. It will be paved with stone and equipped with utilities, lighting, supply cabinets for ships, additional green areas, and decorative floor panels that will visually separate the part for mooring, boarding, disembarking, and supplying ships from the part used for pedestrian communication. The project also ensures accessibility for people with disabilities.

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