Last year, the Port of Koper placed third in terms of car transshipment in the Mediterranean, behind Barcelona and Valencia.

Just like Koper, the two Spanish ports recorded growth in the first half of the year, the former by 5% and the latter by 19%, Luka Koper added.

The operator of Slovenia's only sea port also said that in its strategic plan until 2020, cars and containers are designated as strategic cargo.

The strategic plan also sets down that the Port of Koper will become the leading Mediterranean port for cars by 2020, with transshipment reaching 850,000 units.

To achieve this goals, the company plans new infrastructure, including a new berth for Ro-Ro ships, rail lines behind the second terminal and additional warehouse facilities.

The company has seen interest in car transshipment via Koper growing steadily, especially since a regular ship line with Asia was introduced in October.

A majority or around 70% of all cars transshipped in Koper are destined for export.

Most of them are made in Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia and are destined for eastern Mediterranean, mostly Turkey and north Africa, Luka Koper said.