The Hungarian government decided on the investment into its port in Trieste back in 2018, said Levente Magyar, parliamentary state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, according to Magyar Nemzet.
A 250-meter section of coastal wall for a 50,000 cubic meter embankment will now be built in the northern Italian territory owned by the Hungarian state. The port is expected to be at full capacity in 2028 and serve Hungarian goods exports, said Magyar.
The seawall will be extended by another 400 meters, giving Hungary 650 meters of coastline on the Adriatic. In addition, 30 hectares of land will be developed to house a large logistics center and facilities for maritime operations.
Levente also reported that he held important negotiations with representatives of the Italian government, including Edoardo Rixi, deputy minister for Infrastructure and Transport, who was a partner throughout the process of establishing the port and is helping Hungarian exporters and Hungarian companies to be able to compete more effectively on the world market within a few years.
The State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized:
“Hungary exports physical goods worth around HUF 60 trillion (€148 billion), annually, with the majority of goods leaving Europe by sea,” Levente said, adding that “if a country does not have its own sea outlet or its own seaport capacity, it will always be at the mercy of others.”
“I would like to change this situation, because as the world’s 34th largest exporter, Hungary must have channels that allow it to most effectively integrate into global supply chains, create jobs, make Hungarian exports more efficient, and help Hungarian companies operate,” he said.
Recalling that Hungary has had no access to the sea after losing WWI, the state secretary said, “This will now change.”
