EIB gives 18 million Euro for Durres port

DURRES, Dec. 27 – The European Investment Bank (EIB) gave Wednesday a loan of 18 million Euro to Albania for the construction of the new terminal at the Durres port. All senior Albanian officials took part at the signing ceremony held in Durres. Both sides had some months they were negotiating on the loan terms and presenting the required studies for the project. The total cost of the project is 40 million Euro and it will be financed by the Albanian government with 5.8 million Euro, European Union 2.2 million Euro, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development 14 million Euro and the EIB which is the biggest financer with 18 million Euro Based on the project the money will be used to build a new terminal for ferries’ passengers and the rehabilitation of the other surrounding infrastructure, it will also rehabilitate two new area which have got almost totally rotten. Other work covers rehabilitation of an entrance road to the port, of the railway line, deepening the entrance canal of the port, and other smaller ones. The project for the terminal has been prepared by a Dutch company and after the international tender it is expected that work will start in April next year. The contract is expected to be passed, or ratified by the parliament.