New Trieste Port to Become Hungary's Gateway to the Sea

Containers traveling from Budapest—the capital of landlocked Hungary—to Trieste on Italy’s Adriatic coast must cover more than 550 km, crossing Slovenia along the way. Yet, Trieste is set to become Hungary’s main port in the coming years as construction has begun on a 30-hectare site acquired by the Hungarian government, with completion anticipated by 2028.

Adria Port, a state-owned enterprise in Hungary, is spearheading this $209 million project, which will include 650 m of quayside and a 30-hectare logistics center.

“If the country does not have its own sea exit and seaport capacity, it will always be at the mercy of others. We would like to change this situation,” said Levente Magyar, Hungary’s foreign minister, visiting the site last week.

Hungary lost its coastal access over a century ago following World War One and the subsequent loss of Croatian territories. In addition, the country recently signed an agreement with Bulgaria to create a transport corridor, enhancing export routes via the Black Sea.

Currently, Hungary’s principal port—whether in Budapest or at the Csepel Freeport on the Danube—handles over 1.2 million tonnes of cargo annually.