Analysis of cargo and passenger waterway transport

The Port Governance Agency has recorded 7,2 million tons of transhipped cargo on rivers in Serbia in the first six months of 2022. Compared to the same period last year, about 7 percent fewer goods were transhipped. The situation in Ukraine and the ban on the export of grain at the beginning of the year had the biggest impact on the decrease in cargo handling.

The most commonly transhipped types of cargo are gravel, sand and stone aggregates, which account for 29 percent of transhipments. Oil and oil products are secondranked with a share of 16.9 percent, and ores are thirdranked with 13.4 percent. Coal participates in the total transhipment with 12.4 percent. The transshipment of 223 containers was also recorded in ports in Serbia, which indicates an increased demand for this type of transportation by inland waterways.

Compared to the same period in 2021, the highest percentage of growth was recorded for ores - 21 percent, after the increase in economic activity in Smederevo Zelezara. The quantities of transshipped oil and oil products also increased by eight percent. The biggest decrease was recorded in transhipment of cereals - 62.5 percent.

When it comes to international passenger waterwaz transport, the Agency recorded 636 port calls and 59,000 embarked and disembarked passengers. Compared to the first six months of 2019, which represents a record nautical season in Serbia, the number of port calls is six percent higher. In accordance with the implementation of epidemiological measures in regard to the capacity of vessels, there were 26 percent fever passengers.

The most port calls were recorded in Belgrade - 256, followed by 170 in Novi Sad and 114 in Donji Milanovac. The international passenger terminal in Golubac recorded 85 port calls.

Applications for the collection of port dues that were submitted through the Electronic Applications Portal accounted for 91 percent of the total number of applications received, which represents the largest share of the Portal since the beginning of its application. The portal started operating in 2016 and follows the strategic goals of the Government of Serbia aimed at digitization and improving the quality of services in the state sector.