Croatian sea port operator Luka Rijeka, said on Monday it has initiated an alliance of local companies
from the port, ship-building and maritime sectors to offer a comprehensive range
of services to oil and gas platform operators and exploration firms in the
Adriatic Sea.
In January, Croatia awarded 10 licences for offshore oil
and gas exploration and production and is currently in the middle of a licensing
round for onshore oil and gas blocks.
As part of the planned project,
which would aim to turn the Rijeka port into alogistics hub for hydrocarbons
exploration in the Adriatic Sea, the operator plans to bring together companies
like cargo terminal operator AGCT, shipyard Viktor Lenac, Jadranski Pomorski
Servis and Rijeka-based Dezinsekcija, among others, Luka Rijeka said in a bourse
filing.
The port operator added a cooperation agreement is planned to be
signed as part of the project with the state-run Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency
(CHA).
In November, another local sea port operator, Luka Ploce, also signed a business cooperation agreement with
CHA.
The on- and offshore oil and gas tenders called last year
-alongside participation in the Ionian Adriatic Pipeline gas project and the
planned construction of a liquefied natural gas terminal on the Adriatic island
of Krk, are part of efforts to develop Croatia into a regional energy
hub.