Unaudited data released by the company via the Ljubljana Stock Exchange also show that container transshipment increased by 11% year-on-year to 6.86m tonnes between January and September with the number of container units up by 9% to 687,000.

However, car transshipment figures dropped by 3% to 792,000 tonnes or 521,522 units. The port also handled by 7% less general cargo at 979,920 tonnes, while bulk and liquid cargo figures were up by 9% and 14% to 6.18m tonnes and 2.89m tonnes, respectively.

For the first half of the year, Luka Koper reported EUR 27.1m in net profit and EUR 105.5m in net sales revenue, a growth of 24% and 10%, respectively, compared with the same period a year ago.

In late September, the port opened a new multi-purpose warehouse for bulk and general cargo spanning 16,000 square metres across two halls in what is one of four key investments by 2020. The port is still waiting for an environmental consent to expand Pier 1.