Shengjin Port to increase handling capacity

TIRANA, June 3 – The Shengjin Port, Albania’s second biggest port for handling goods, is having its basin deepened under a USD 1.5 million investment by the Albanian government, says the Transport Ministry. The project expected to complete by 2015 will increase the port’s handling capacity to 1 million tonnes, up from around 300,000 tonnes of goods currently and allow anchoring of ships with a capacity of up 6,000 tonnes.
“Soon this port will increase its capacities and range of services which will include goods, passengers and tourism. We are planning to start building a part of the tourist port in the northern quay soon,” said Transport Minister Edmond Haxhinasto in a visit to the port last weekend.
The Albanian government plans to build a new port in Shengjin, northern Albania, that will also serve to neighbouring Kosovo and Macedonia for their trade exchanges.
Data published by the Institute of Transport show the volume of goods handled in Shengjin Port in 2013 dropped to 273,172 tonnes, down from around 342,000 tonnes in 2012, registering the lowest level in the past five years.
Since 2011 the Shengjin Port has not been handling passengers.
The Shengjin port is about 90 kilometers north of capital Tirana and about 100 kilometers west of Kosovo.