Port of Koper: the trade gateway of Central Europe

Although Slovenia’s coastline spans merely 44 kilometers, it is home to one of the fastest-growing ports in the Adriatic region. The Port of Koper has once again reported strong performance, with over 1.13 million TEU handled in 2024, setting a new throughput record. What factors are driving this growth? What are the key elements behind its success?

The Port of Koper closed the year 2024 with positive results, reinforcing its position as the leading container port in the Adriatic. Despite challenges such as the crisis in the Red Sea and broader market uncertainties, the port recorded a 3% year-on-year increase in total maritime throughput, a 6% rise in container handling, and an 8% growth in general cargo. On the downside, the handling of passenger vehicles — a well-known specialty of the Port of Koper — declined by 3% year-on-year, reflecting the overall slowdown in vehicle sales and indicating broader industry trends.

Slovenia: a strategic link in global trade routes

The port's continuous improvement is the result of a unique combination of strategic geographic location, consistent investment, and advanced infrastructure. This infrastructure enables the handling of a wide range of cargo types — including containers, vehicles, dry and liquid bulk, general cargo, agricultural products — and their further transport via road, rail, or intermodal connections deep into the European continent.

Rohlig SUUS Logistics has been present in Slovenia since 2019, with branches in key locations such as Koper and Brnik. We are observing increasing customer interest in this route, particularly due to the ability to build flexible logistics chains that can adapt to the rapidly evolving global market conditions. The Port of Koper serves as a critical gateway for countries such as Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. It is a strategic node within two major Pan-European transport corridors: the Mediterranean and the Baltic-Adriatic. The latter corridor is particularly relevant to the ongoing expansion of the railway line to the Port of Koper. This new railway line is a cornerstone of the international intermodal Baltic-Adriatic corridor. 

Achieving this goal is based on doubling the railway line’s capacity by constructing a second track between Divača and Koper. Upon completion, the port will be able to accommodate up to 231 trains per day, compared to the current 72 — significantly increasing efficiency and unlocking new transport capacities. However, unforeseen geological conditions have caused additional work and costs, which could delay the completion of the investment. At the end of 2023, the company Luka Koper d.d. adopted a new strategic business plan running until 2028, addressing the key challenges of the coming years. The planned development is based on four pillars: increasing infrastructural capacity and throughput, accelerating the implementation of the smart port concept, ensuring appropriate human resource structures, and focusing on sustainability while reducing the negative impacts on the environment and society.

It is also important to note that the growth of Adriatic ports is being influenced by geopolitical factors. The war in Ukraine has shifted significant trade routes for Central and Eastern European countries westward. Adriatic ports — including Trieste in Italy, Rijeka in Croatia, and Koper in Slovenia — have gained prominence as key transshipment hubs for goods originating from or destined for Central and Eastern Europe. On the other hand, the Red Sea crisis poses a challenge to southern European ports, which have lost their advantage in offering shorter delivery times to Europe compared to northern ports. Nevertheless, the Port of Koper continues to perform well under these circumstances.