by InTrieste
More than 320 daily passengers accustomed to swift international maritime travel on hydrofoils now find themselves enduring lengthy road journeys, exacerbating traffic congestion at border security checkpoints. This disruption stems from a delayed tender process that left no shipping company available to operate the vital maritime routes connecting Trieste, Piran, Poreč, Rovinj, and Mali Lošinj, highlighting significant administrative and logistical challenges.
The failure to secure a maritime transport provider this year has left regional authorities and passengers grappling with a sudden and inconvenient shift in travel modes. Questions abound regarding the apparent scarcity of hydrofoils, but industry insiders suggest the issue lies elsewhere.
“There are fast vessels available; we have 30,” stated Nunzio Formica, commercial director of Liberty Lines, a leading maritime transport company. “We assumed that the line would not operate this year because the region did not have available funds. It was only at the end of March that we discovered there was an intention to hold the tender. We were contacted by the Region, but it was already too late because we had made commitments with other lines.”
The proposed transport service was set to begin on June 29, a timeline that would have left the winning bidder just 20 days to prepare—an insufficient window given the extensive bureaucratic requirements. For instance, obtaining approval for the necessary security plan alone can take up to 30 days.
The situation has sparked calls for the regional government to adjust future tender schedules to provide more adequate preparation time for bidders. Meanwhile, travelers are left to navigate the increasingly congested roadways, a testament to the far-reaching impact of administrative delays on public services.
