TRIESTE – New delay for the Porto Baross marina in Rijeka: completion of the project has been postponed to between 2028 and 2029, well beyond the initial deadlines.
The delays are due to heritage protection requirements, bureaucratic complexities, uncertainty over concessions and rising costs. The project, considered strategic for the city’s urban and tourism relaunch, is still at an early stage.
According to the latest decisions by the Croatian Government, the deadline for completion and obtaining the use permit has been set for May 2029, although concessionaire ACI Gitone expects to complete the works by the end of 2028. Meanwhile, a new addendum has been signed with the City of Rijeka, extending the deadline for technical documentation to June 2026 and for the completion of related infrastructure works to June 2028.
This applies in particular to the restoration of historic buildings such as warehouse 40. Added to this are technical obstacles, such as the complex mapping of urban utility networks, and economic factors, including inflation and rising material and energy costs. The issue of concessions also weighs on the project: many ACI facilities are due to expire in 2030, and uncertainty over their extension limits investment capacity and access to credit. A government decision is expected in the coming months.
In the meantime, costs are rising: from the initial estimate of around 49-50 million euros, the latest forecasts already exceed 80 million. The marina will be built on an area of more than 100,000 square metres, with around 230 berths, parking areas and urban services, and is expected to generate around 130 jobs. Conceived as one of the key projects to transform the city waterfront and develop nautical tourism, the marina will also open up to the public with public spaces and access to the seafront.