The Ninth International Passenger Terminal in Serbia opened

The international passenger terminal in Zemun was officially opened today in the presence of the Minister of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure, Goran Vesić, the Director of the Port Governance Agency, Vuk Perović, and the President of the Municipality of Zemun, Gavrilo Kovačević.

Minister Vesić emphasized that the last passenger ship docked in Zemun in the mid-19th century and that with the construction of this terminal, as he put it, they have finally returned ships to Zemun.

Vesić reminded that this port is one of the nine opened in Serbia.

"We have two terminals on the Sava river and seven on the Danube. This is our second terminal in Belgrade, but the first one on the Danube in Belgrade, which will enable more ships to come to Belgrade and our country," said Vesić.

He also mentioned that the recently opened port in Sremska Mitrovica and the one in Šabac are nearing completion.

“As part of the “Sail through Serbia” project, infrastructure development is planned in Banoštor, Sremski Karlovci, and Apatin," the minister stated.

Vesić highlighted that Serbia is the third country when it comes to the number of foreign tourists on rivers, just behind Austria and Hungary.

"Last year, we had 1,419 cruise ships visiting Serbia, with 135,000 passengers. By the end of August this year, we have already reached 122,000 passengers, which means that our passenger numbers have increased by 30 percent compared to last year. This qualifies us to become the country with the highest number of river tourists," Vesić said.

The minister emphasized that significant steps and investments lie ahead of us concerning port infrastructure.

"We will invest much more energy and money to harness our river potential," he stressed.

Director of the Port Governance Agency, Vuk Perović, emphasized that the entire terminal has been designed and built by domestic companies.

"From today, we connect Zemun with the world and Europe from this location. Serbia is making great strides when it comes to the number of cruise ships visiting. Last year, we surpassed Romania in terms of tourist visits, and in previous years, we exceeded Slovakia, Croatia, and Bulgaria. For this reason, the Agency, in collaboration with the ministry, initiated the “Sail through Serbia” project," said Perović.

According to him, the project will involve the construction of missing nautical infrastructure, marinas, and terminals, and efforts will be made to develop liner traffic. In this way, our country will be able to tap into its abundant nautical potential, he concluded.

The President of the Municipality of Zemun, Gavrilo Kovačević, stated that this project holds significant importance.

"Three highways pass through Zemun, as well as a section of the Belgrade-Novi Sad-Budapest railway line, and the newly opened terminal essentially represents the fifth highway passing through our municipality," Kovačević said.

He invited all interested entrepreneurs and tourists to visit Zemun, as, in his words, "it has the soul of a small town, and once you come here, it's hard to leave."

Today, the first cruise ship, DCS Amethyst, with 170 passengers, docked at the Zemun terminal, where they were treated to a traditional welcome.

Photo: MGSI