The Minister for the Environment and Spatial Planning Irena Majcen, together with the Director General of the Environmental Agency Joško Knez and other colleagues from the Ministry visited the Port of Koper today, partly also because of our environmental projects for which Port of Koper won a prestigious ESPO award (European Sea Ports Organization). The Management Board of the company, headed by the President Dragomir Matić, has presented in detail the company’s activities in the field of reducing the impact of port activities on the environment and major infrastructure plans for the near future. The Minister has also visited the port and all the terminals, especially the terminal for bulk cargo where she has witnessed the practical demonstration of covering bulk cargoes with liquefied cellulose. It prevents dusting and was awarded as part of the ESPO prize besides bricks made from marine sediments, composting organic waste and heating on biomass.
Minister Majcen characterized the development projects of Port of Koper as ambitious and promised cooperation of the responsible authorities for issuing the necessary permits. The first such large-scale project will be the extension of pier one, as a response of Koper port to the upward trend in container traffic and arrival of bigger container ships. The President of the Management Board Matić has emphasized the time component of these projects, which are evaluated in tens of millions, but above all expectations and requirements of business partners who have chosen Koper as their entry point to Central Europe. In this context, they also mentioned the project of second railway track construction between Koper and Divača, which is crucial for the further port development. Minister Majcen has confirmed that the ministry completed all procedures related to the second railway track, i.e. adoption of the National Spatial Plan and issued environmental consent.
The Director General of the Environmental Agency Knez has expressed concern for Slovenian sea protection, which is relatively shallow and crowded due to tourism and economic activity, including shipping. Matić offered help of Port of Koper which has a well-equipped fleet, as it is obliged, in accordance with the concession agreement, to protect the harbor waters.
"We are pleased that the Minister recognized the efforts of Port of Koper in reducing the port activities impact on environment, for which we have invested more than 30 million in past ten years. Any new investment or purchase of machinery is examined in terms of environmental protection, because we are aware that this can contribute to the reduction of dust emissions and noise," said Matić.
Minister Irena Majcen and president of Port of Koper management board Dragomir Matić.
Covering coal with innovative cellulose mixture.
(photo: Tatjana Jazbec)
