Addressing the Maritime Week 2024  in the coastal city of Durres, an event hosted by Durres Port Authority that brought together leaders, experts and maritime stakeholders to tackle common challenges and opportunities towards the facilitation of regional seaborne trade, Balluku underlined that port and maritime industry is one of the most important pillars of Albania’s economic development.

In her remarks, the Deputy PM Balluku stated that the Albanian government is committed to catching up with EU member states by launching long-term initiatives for sustainable development.

Balluku noted that as part of policies aimed at sustainable economy, which is the basis of the country’s tourism development, the port industry is becoming the main contributor to GDP or as one of the sectors that should support the country’s exports.

She highlighted role of the maritime industry as one of the elements to turn the country into an important regional hub. Balluku also underlined importance of the regional cooperation as a factor of development.

The ambitious Durres port design as a project integrated with the Durrës-Prishtina railway project and the dry port in Prishtina, will radically transform not only the trade infrastructure between Albania and Kosovo, but also the regional economic gravity, turning Durrës into one of the strategic gateways to the Mediterranean economy.

The new Porto-Romano port will cover an area of 400 hectares, with a capacity of two million containers and around 50 million metric tonnes. The port is also expected to handle more than one million ferry passengers. The project is expected to shorten the distance with Prishtina to 265 km only.

/r.e/u.sh/