The conference, organised by the Lürssen Group and the companies ACI, Gitone Kvarner, ACI-GITONE and Novi list, held at the Rijeka terminal, gathered experts from the maritime industry, shipbuilding, digitalisation and other key people in Croatian tourism and maritime affairs, was headed by representatives of the Lurssen Group and ACI, who presented the projects which implementation will change the face of Kvarner over the next few years.

The conference was opened by welcome speeches given by Teuta Duletić, executive director of the Lurssen Design Centre Kvarner, Ivan Herak, Management Board member responsible for Finance, Corporate Law and Human Resources, ACI, Zlatko Komadina, president of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and Vladimir Savić, special adviser to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia for the Economy, who welcomed the upcoming projects and investments of the Lurssen Group in the Kvarner area. One of the most important topics was the future ACI Marina Rijeka, which will be the largest investment in nautical tourism in Croatia so far and which will create more than 130 new jobs at the marina.

THE CONFERENCE WAS ATTENDED BY THE MAYOR OF RIJEKA MARKO FILIPOVIĆ AND BY FORMER MAYOR VOJKO OBERSNEL

The first panel paid special attention to the digital age and the impact of the introduction of digital technologies in the maritime industry, while the second panel opened up some other important issues related to the use of hydrogen and the benefits of developing the potential of a hydrogen economy that is harmonised with the objectives of the European Hydrogen Strategy.

The conference was concluded by the third panel, which focused on the future ACI Marina Rijeka. Kristijan Pavić, President of the ACI Management Board and Josip Ostrogović, Management Board member responsible for Investment, Marketing and Retail at ACI, emphasized that the ACI Marina Rijeka would set new standards in the region when talking about the construction of ports for nautical tourism. One of the key development potentials in this regard is certainly the development of new technologies. The ACI Marina Rijeka will be a green and fully digitalised marina and a centre for the development of new technologies that will be applied in the future in nautical tourism, both on board vessels and at marinas.

The Mayor of Rijeka, Marko Filipović, pointed out that the construction of the ACI Marina Rijeka, as well as numerous city and state private projects taking place on the coastline, would bring changes in city life.

“These are the projects that change the face of the city, especially if we look at it from the sea. With their realisation, we are bringing back Rijeka to the sea, where it belongs, because the sea is in our DNA – the city mostly developed in the periods when it was oriented towards the sea “, said Mayor Filipović, expressing his satisfaction with significant investment in the ACI Marina Rijeka. All projects that are currently underway or will soon begin in the territory of Rijeka in cooperation with all involved partners, have been prepared for a long time, so the ACI Marina Rijeka has long been entered into the city spatial planning documentation.

The conference was concluded by the third panel, which focused on the future ACI Marina Rijeka.

He mentioned that the reconstructed ship Galeb would soon be moored at Molo Long and expressed his belief that it would become, a real tourist attraction, and the realisation of the project Zapadna Žabica would change the face of the city. In response to the tender published by the City of Rijeka, an offer was received for project realisation by a private partner.

Johannes Böck, President of the Management Board of GITONE Kvarner, pointed out that they wanted to turn Porto Baroš into a green and digital marina.

“In parallel with our shipbuilding and engineering efforts, we will begin to shape the future of the Rijeka coastal area by investing in a new marina in the port. This will contribute to our goals of a green and digital future and will play a key role in the development of the city, especially in terms of nautical and tourism competitiveness, “he said.

“Provided that everything goes according to plan and without unforeseen circumstances, the start of construction works could be around the middle of next year. The sea part of the marina could be opened in 2024, and the complete marina in 2026. The sea part of the marina will start operating regardless of the contents ashore”, announced Anđelko Petrinić, director of ACI-GITONE.