‘Made in Albania’ exports up 15% in Durres Port

TIRANA, June 25 – Exports of Albanian-made products through the Durres Port during the first five months of this year reached 557,000 tons, increasing by 15 percent compared to the same period last year. Data published by the country’s biggest port show that Albanian-made products accounted for 40 percent of total goods handled through Durres Port. Minerals were one of the key Albanian exports. Cargo ships transported 143.000 tons of chromium, 8,747 tons of ferrochrome and 2,720 tons of copper, says the Durres Port Authority.
The top destinations of Albanian export ships are the Italian ports of Bari, Ancona and Trieste.
Since the beginning of this year, the Durres Port has handled 1.4 million tons of goods– 10 percent more than the first five months of 2010.
The visa liberalization process, in force since December 15, 2010, has also increased the influx of passengers traveling through Durres’ harbor, which is also Albania’s hub in the Corridor 8 project with Italy, Macedonia and Bulgaria.
Port officials say that around 198,000 passengers have passed through the Durres port during the first four months of this year, up 13 percent compared to the same period in 2010.
The new passenger terminal, which is now operational, has considerably improved conditions in the country’s biggest port.
The construction of new sites to handle goods and create the necessary conditions for heavy-tonnage ships will be the two main objectives for the Durres port this year.
The port’s short-term goal is to create more duty-free zones to allow for faster movement of goods at a lower cost.
The Durres Port has also been visited by six cruise ships during the past two months bringing thousands of foreign tourists in daily trips visiting the ancient Roman amphitheatre and the local archeological museum, as well as the nearby museum town of Kruja.
Port officials say some 700,000 Albanian and foreign tourists visited Durres last year.
The Port of Durres is by far the largest commercial port in Albania, transporting on average 80 per cent of the country’s international ship-borne traffic. The port is currently involved in four main activities: ferry operations, cargo operations, container operations and oil storage operations. Durres Port, which is owned by the Albanian government, is an integral part of the regional transport network in Southeast Europe, and an important centre for international trade and travel.