Port operator Luka Koper transshipped 5.95m tonnes of Austrian merchandise last year, up by 5.6% from the year before, according to Verker data carried on the Luka Koper website.

This puts the Slovenian port ahead of Rotterdam at 3.95m tonnes, giving it a market share of 30%. Among south European ports Koper commands 67% of the market.

Austria is traditionally Luka Koper's top market, chairman Dragomir Matić said: "Out of the total of 18 million tonnes transshipped in Koper last year, a third was Austrian merchandise."

Austrian goods are handled at all of Koper's terminals with the bulk representing wood, paper, coal, iron ore and miscellaneous goods shipped in containers.

A large portion of almost 145,000 container units transshipped by the port last year, is carried on a regular container block daily to the Cargo Center Graz, a major Austrian distribution centre, Matić said.

He signed a cooperation agreement with the management of the hub last week that Luka Koper expects will pave the way for even greater container transshipment for Austrian companies.

Another important Austrian partner, steel based group Voest Alpine, honoured Luka Koper as best link in the supply chain in October last year.