The Last Two STS Cranes Arrive at Rijeka Gateway Terminal: The Terminal is in an Advanced Stage of Construction and Equipment Installation

Rijeka, February 17th, 2025 - The last two STS (ship-to-shore) cranes arrived today at the Rijeka Gateway terminal, completing the key equipment for the terminal. According to Rijeka Gateway's management, the project is now approximately 75% complete.

Rijeka Gateway is a joint investment by APM Terminals and ENNA and is one of the largest logistics infrastructure investments in Croatia, valued at a total of €380 million. The project brings significant economic benefits to the Rijeka area and beyond, restoring Rijeka Port’s status as the leading container port in this part of Europe.

“The arrival of the last two STS cranes marks a crucial milestone in the terminal's construction, with equipment installation reaching 90% and the overall project completion at approximately 75%. We are in the final construction phase, which includes completing the terminal’s key infrastructure and renovating Warehouse 22. I am proud of the entire team for ensuring that the implementation of such a complex project stays on schedule. I would also like to thank the Government of Croatia and all institutions involved for their understanding and highly professional and prompt approach in obtaining all necessary permits and initiating the procedures required for the terminal's construction and operation,” said Peter Corfitsen, CEO of Rijeka Gateway.

The terminal will be the most technologically advanced in this part of Europe, with a special emphasis on sustainability by minimizing its environmental and community impact. In the first phase, the terminal will have an operational quay of 400 meters in length, 20 meters in depth, an annual handling capacity of 650,000 TEU, and the ability to accommodate vessels with a capacity of up to 18,000 TEU. The second phase plans to extend the quay to 680 meters, increasing the annual handling capacity to 1,055,000 TEU and enabling the accommodation of vessels with a capacity of up to 24,000 TEU.

The Rijeka Gateway project has already created 100 jobs, and once operational, the terminal is expected to employ 300 people directly and create many more indirect job opportunities in the Rijeka region by attracting additional investments.

Notable women from Rijeka who have made significant contributions to the city, but who have not yet been honored with street or square names, were chosen as symbolic names for the cranes through a public vote involving nearly 8,000 citizens of Rijeka and its surroundings. Once completed, the terminal area will be symbolically named “Square of Strong Women of Rijeka,” reflecting Rijeka Gateway’s commitment to the local community and its role as an integral part of the urban fabric of Rijeka.

“Rijeka Gateway will not only be the largest and most advanced terminal in this part of Europe but also one of the most sustainable. As much as 95% of the equipment at the terminal will be electric, and we are sourcing energy exclusively from renewable sources, contributing to environmental preservation for future generations. We have also implemented advanced water management systems, reduced light pollution through smart lighting systems, and integrated noise reduction technologies, such as 'soft landing' for containers. All of these state-of-the-art technologies were incorporated into the project from the planning stage to demonstrate our commitment to being good neighbors to the citizens of Rijeka. This is extremely important to us, which is why we will continue to seek ways to further minimize the negative impact of our operations on the environment and local community even after the terminal becomes operational,” said Maja Borčić, Commercial Director of Rijeka Gateway.

"On this very date last year, October 17, 2024, the first two quay cranes arrived at the terminal. The event and the scene at the Port of Rijeka intrigued and impressed all the Rijeka residents, especially us 'port' people. We can see how the terminal is 'growing' day by day. The delivery of these other two cranes is equally an impressive sight and event in the Port of Rijeka that will surely be remembered. The future Rijeka Gateway Container Terminal is the largest, most important, and most complex project in our history; I would say a generational project for the Port of Rijeka. When we sum up all the investments in the terminal and the transport infrastructure, from roads to the railway interface in the port and around it, we arrive at a figure of around 600 million euros. All of this is already visible to the 'naked' eye. This year, Rijeka will begin operating a sustainable, 'green,' and technologically most advanced terminal in this part of Europe. Undoubtedly, it will bring a leading position to the Port of Rijeka, the Rijeka transport corridor, and the entire port and transport system of the Republic of Croatia in the northern Adriatic and the wider region. From the position of the Port Authority of Rijeka and the State, I want to emphasize that we are all extremely proud of this project. When we signed the concession agreement with Rijeka Gateway in November 2021, I said that it was the biggest contract in the history of the Port of Rijeka, the largest contract in terms of importance and value for all of us – for this City, for the Port Authority of Rijeka, the Port of Rijeka, the Rijeka transport corridor, and the entire port and transport system of Croatia," said Denis Vukorepa, Director of the Port Authority of Rijeka.