TRIESTE – The Municipality of Koper is once again rolling out, for 2026 as well, non-repayable grants to mitigate the environmental impact of port activities.
A new public call has in fact been published to fund measures aimed at reducing emissions in urban areas affected by the presence of the port, in continuity with a scheme already adopted in previous years. The initiative, provided for by the 2019 national decree and by the agreement signed in December 2023 with Luka Koper (the company managing the port, which uses its own funds), confirms the municipal administration’s commitment to containing the environmental and noise effects generated by port operations, especially in the most exposed residential areas.
Applications can be submitted by 2 March 2026. The goal is to ensure the most harmonious coexistence possible between the port and the local community. The agreement provides for the implementation of measures to reduce the impact of port activities on the environment, with a particular focus on the historic centre. Under this agreement, Luka Koper allocates 320,000 euros per year (for a period of five years), for a total of 1.6 million euros, to be used for the benefit of residents. The call covers three sub-areas identified around the port – contact zone, nearby zone and wider zone – and finances works on existing buildings, including partial interventions, such as the replacement or restoration of doors and windows, façade refurbishment, roof insulation, the installation of ventilation systems and air conditioning.
Particular attention is reserved for properties located in the historic centre and protected as cultural heritage assets, for which intervention methods compatible with conservation constraints are предусмотрена. The public contribution covers at least 50% of eligible costs and may include building and plant works, supply of materials and VAT. The maximum amount of funding varies depending on the sub-area and the type of intervention, according to the percentages set out in the annexes to the call. The reintroduction of the measure for 2026 therefore confirms, a municipal note stresses, a structural line of action that pairs the development of port activities with environmental compensation policies for the benefit of residents, in a context – that of the Koper port area – increasingly attentive to the balance between logistics, the city and sustainability.
