Reconstruction of Durres Port, Quays 1 & 2

Project Description

This investment project will rehabilitate Quays 1 and 2 on the Western Terminal of the Port of Durrës – one of the four existing terminals of the largest seaport in Albania. The main products handled by the Port of Durrës are general cargo, cereals, containers, ferries, and minerals. The Port currently handles around 90% of the country’s maritime exchange in tonnage and 53% of all international trade (by value).

The Western Terminal handles all Durrës’ general cargo and cereals. The Terminal has five quays in total and covers an area of 92,680 m2. Quays 1 and 2 are in a poor state of disrepair. The former was built in 1972, and the latter between 1945 and 1951. Some rehabilitation took place in 1994. However, structural elements underwater show signs of substantial corrosion, which prevents safe operations of large capacities of cargo. Moreover, the depth of the terminal near the quays ranges between 7 and 8.2 m, so larger cargo vessels cannot be accommodated in the port. 

The project is at the stage of the feasibility study, which includes the review of the designs carried out in 2012 and a full environmental and social impact assessment. The latter also considers the Port’s vulnerability to climate change risks (such as sea level rising) so that key structural and nonstructural mitigation measures can be factored into the new developments.

The project received WBIF support on several occasions: 

• €1.1 million grant from the EU for the preparation for preparing the technical documentation and the tender documents for works
• €27.05 million investment grant from the EU under the Connectivity Agenda in 2018 to cover 40% of the investment costs, construction supervision, project management services as well as visibility and communication actions. 

The feasibility study is due for completion by October 2019, while project contracting activities will commence by the end of the year. 

The project complements a 2016 Connectivity Agenda investment aimed at rehabilitating the railway link between Tirana and Durrës. When both projects are complete, an important, multimodal transportation core network corridor section will be in place, strengthening Albania’s connections with Croatia and Italy. In addition, they will provide Kosovo* and North Macedonia – Albania’s landlocked neighbours – with access to maritime transport routes.

More details on the project can be found in the project summary included on this page.   

Project image @ Durrës Port Authority.

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.