Rijeka Gateway Project

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The overall objective of the Rijeka Gateway Project is to increase Croatia's trade competitiveness by improving the international transport chain through the Rijeka Gateway for both freight and passengers traffic through modernizing the port and road network connections, and privatizing port operations. Specific objectives include: (i) increasing efficiency and improving financial, social and environmental conditions at Rijeka Port, rehabilitating infrastructure and replacing equipment; (ii) preparing to redevelop part of Rijeka Port for urban purposes; and (iii) improving international road connections linked to the Rijeka gateway, and the administration of the road sector. The project includes three components: (a) port restructuring and modernization; (b) port/city interface redevelopment; and (c) international road improvements. To allow smooth transfer of the operations related to the handling of woods and timber the first component will include (i) infrastructure rehabilitation works at the western port area: demolition of outdated multi-storied warehouses that restrict open storage space and port performance, with the exception of two which will be rehabilitated for their historical value; (ii) superstructure works would be designed to facilitate terminal lease concessions; (iii) rehabilitation of Becko (Vienna) berth and repaving and rehabilitation of utility networks; and (iv) restoration and protection along the Zagrebacko berth (includes construction of a berthing capacity of a minimum 250 m length to allow vessels of 15 m draft and more to service the port of Rijeka), and backlog rehabilitation works needed in various part of the port to complement the above works. The second component aims at the development of a waterfront area open to business and commercial activities. The project will finance preparation works at the Delta and Porto Baros areas, as well as the construction of a passenger terminal along the breakwater. The third component will finance HC (Croatian Roads Company) management capacity improvements, such as technical assistance and training and supervision services for civil works and equipment installation for both HC and HAC (Croatian motorways Company) road/bridge works components. Implementation of the pavement and bridge management systems (PMSBMS) was initially supported under the Bank's Highway Sector Project. Small equipment. PMS/BMS software upgrade, and technical assistance/training will be financed under the project, including software to improve HC's ability to administer the road network. Preparation of an axle load study to develop a strategy for enforcement and eventual adoption of the European Union standard; and prevention of excessive damage to the national roads network through pilot fixed scale installation will be also included under the project.