Fourth annual consultations held

The Port Governance Agency has held regular annual consultations with Groups for ports and harbors, for inland shipping and shipping agents. The representatives of the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, the Danube Commission, Directorate for Inland Waterways, the Authority for Determination of the Seaworthiness and other state institutions attended the consultations.

The number and interest of relevant entities and state institutions present at this year's consultations is the best indicator of the fulfillment of one of the most important goals - an open dialogue with all participants in waterway transport.

It was pointed out that in 2018 the Agency marked the fifth anniversary since its establishment and achieved good results. 17 new port areas were declared, three new international passenger terminals opened, and activities in the area of environmental protection were launched. A system of payment of port dues was established, based on which, for the first time, a clear record of the quantity of goods and the number of passengers on Serbia’s rivers was established. As for future plans, it is expected that in the forthcoming period the declaration of all port areas will mark the completion of the first phase of the development of port activity. The second phase involves the creation of conditions for investments into infrastructure. The Agency has allocated significant financial resources for the development of project and technical documentation for the construction of port infrastructure.

Significant investments in waterway transport sector were also announced. At the end of November, a financial agreement was signed between the Government of Serbia and the European Investment Bank on investments in river transport infrastructure, worth 100 million euros. The most important projects to be financed from the EIB arrangement are the reconstruction of locks Djerdap 1 and Djerdap 2, the expansion of the Port of Smederevo, the development of the Sava River waterway and a section of Danube waterway. The realization of the planned projects will significantly increase the participation of waterway transport in the total transport of goods in the Republic of Serbia in the next few years.

For the representatives of the Groups, 2018 was an extremely difficult year for doing business, primarily due to the low water level that was present throughout the season. A large number of participants at this year's meeting testified to the fact that annual consultations provide great opportunity for port operators, shippers and shipping agents to express their opinions and suggestions in order to improve business and waterway transport in general. It was suggested that other state institutions and inspection services should be involved in the work of the forum. Given the Agency's willingness to provide expert and advisory assistance to the members of the Groups, the possibility of holding consultations at the semi-annual level were also discussed.

For the fourth year in a row, the consultations have testified to the decision of the Agency to improve and strengthen the port activity in Serbia through good and open cooperation with all relevant participants in waterway transport. Joint work is a prerequisite for development and is the best way to achieve goals and significant results, as it was said at the meeting.