Record transshipment of cargo and growth of passenger traffic recorded on Serbian rivers

The Port Governance Agency recorded 10.5 million tons of cargo transshipment on rivers in Serbia in 2017., which is the largest quantity recorded so far. In spite of weather disturbances and suspension of navigation during the season, the transshipment of goods increased by 16% compared to 2016.

The most frequently transshipped type of cargo is still gravel, sand and stone aggregates, which together account for 29% of the transshipped cargo, but the news is a larger quantity of ore with a share of 17%, as a result of the increased activity of the port in Smederevo. Oil and oil products remained in the third place, accounting for 16% of total cargo. Drains, due to the drought that has reduced yields and increased the price of goods, fell to fourth place, and now they have a 13% share in total transshipment.

Cooperation with the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, consistent implementation of the legislation and the Action Plan for the Development of Water Transport of the Government of Serbia resulted in almost 70% of goods being transshipped in the declared port areas, while only two years ago only 40% of the cargo was transshipped in port areas. The plan is that in the upcoming period all port activities are carried out within declared ports and harbors.

Passenger traffic showed a steady growth trend in 2017. There were 996 port calls and more than 130 000 passengers on passenger terminals in Serbia. Compared to the previous nautical season, the number of port calls has increased by 4% and the number of passengers by almost 11%. The highest number of port calls was recorded in Belgrade 539, while Novi Sad and Donji Milanovac achieved 333 and 112 port calls.
One of the priorities of the Agency is the promotion and development of passenger traffic, so the passenger terminals in Smederevo and Kladovo were opened last year, and the first cruises are expected in the spring. At the beginning of 2018 a port area in Golubac, one of the most attractive destinations on the Danube, was declared, and in the following period, a public call for the selection of the operator at this passenger terminal will be announced. The passenger terminals in the Eastern Serbia will be connected in this way. Port Governance Agency will also work on affirmation of domestic, line traffic between these cities. Following the indicators in passenger traffic, we can expect more than 1050 port calls in 2018.

By investing in port infrastructure projects and improving the conditions for the transshipment of goods, the Port Governance Agency will continue to create the environment for the efficient movement of goods in inland waterway traffic, so that the ports in Serbia will become important multimodal centers and traffic hubs in this part of Europe, which will certainly have a favorable the impact on the economic development of the whole country.