The Port Governance Agency has announced the continuation of the project “Awaken the Danube”, promoting passenger transport and tourism in the Upper and Lower Danube regions, connecting eleven individual cities: Smederevo, Kladovo, Donji Milanovac, Kostolac, Golubac, Veliko Gradište, Novi Sad, Belgrade-Zemun, Sremski Karlovci, Apatin and Banoštor
On this occasion, the main goals, plans and activities of the project were presented. The project partners also presented the unique possibilities offered by the Danube Region of Serbia and the current results of the Port Governance Agency.
“For the fourth year in a row, the Agency’s data show large increases in cargo handling and record quantities of transhipped cargo. A total of 11.8 million tonnes were transhipped on rivers in Serbia Last year, or 11.5% more than in 2017”, said Vuk Perović, Director of the Port Governance Agency.
“International passenger transport has been marked by steady year-on-year growth. According to the Agency’s data, the six international passenger terminals in Serbia recorded 1,150 port calls and over 157,000 embarked and disembarked passengers during last year’s nautical tourism season. The number of port calls was up 15% in 2017, while the number of embarked/ disembarked passengers was up by a fifth.
The current value of water transport projects is 205 million euros, and additional investment in water transport is expected by the end of the year
“The international passenger terminal in Belgrade is still the most attractive to foreign tourists, with more than half the total number of port calls and about 80,000 tourists It is followed by the terminals in Novi Sad and Donji Milanovac. During Easter last year we opened a terminal in Golubac, which completed the nautical season successfully with 44 port calls and more than 6,000 embarked and disembarked passengers. Since the trend in passenger water traffic shows constant growth we expect to double the number of port calls and passengers by 2025.”
Veljko Kovačević, Assistant Minister of Transport, Construction and Infrastructure, pointed out that the current value of projects in water transport is 205 million euros, and announced that additional investments in water transport are expected by the end of the year. Kovačević added that, in parallel with projects to improve port infrastructure and waterways in Serbia, the ministry will pay special attention to the renewal of the domestic fleet.
Promotion of the natural resources of the Danube river basin in Serbia will enable the development of the eastern and northern parts of our country, and river-based passenger traffic in Serbia. The Port Governance Agency aims to place the cities of this region on the tourist map of Europe and for Serbia to be ranked among the leaders in passenger transport.