The project, estimated at almost EUR 200,000 and supported by the state and the EU, comes after carpooling platforms, in particular prevoz.org, have been embraced enthusiastically in the country.

However, unlike the almost completely unregulated carsharing system, boat owners will have to register an enterprise and meet a host of other conditions, which include a boat skipper license, special equipment and passenger insurance.

The platform, including payments, is to be based on the Wayv smart application, which is being developed by Enigma, the project's main partner. Also participating are two tour operators from Portotož and fishing company Ribištvo Domenico Steffe.

The Android app is expected to be ready by June next year and the iOS version probably a year later, the press was told in Strunjan on Tuesday.

Lea Šuligoj of Turistično Združenje Portorož told the STA the platform would also help existing small ride providers as well as fishermen, who are not as busy during the summer.

While some options already exist on the coast, they are scarce, Šuligoj explained. Great demand exists among tourists, but there are no regular lines connecting the coastal towns.

It is expected that the scheme will help mitigate the heavy road traffic on the coast during the summer, while more people sharing boats should also rationalise maritime transport.

For now the platform is meant to be limited to the Slovenian coast, but Šuligoj does not exclude it being spread to neighbouring countries in the future.