By mid-December, the public company for the management of the maritime resource will make decisions on 250 requests for berths in the Port of Budva, and after the first phase of reconstruction, there will be decisions for an additional almost 300 berths.
This is what the executive director of the maritime domain told "Vijesti". Mladen Mikijelj. On June 1, the state company took over the management of the Port of Budva.
"Our intention is to enter the next year with signed contracts for berths in Budva, because until now we have been in a kind of constant state of disorder, and I will not accept such a state as normal. The deadline for submitting requests for connections is already over. So, by the middle of December, the commission for moorings, which has already been formed, will make decisions for some 250 moorings, and after the first stage of reconstruction, for an additional almost 300 moorings. The port of Budva is a mirror of the city. It is the first place that foreign tourists encounter. I am not satisfied with the state of Budva's city reception on the sea for rich tourists. It has to be much better, and if every citizen is not proud of the condition of the Port of Budva in a year or two, then even the maritime sector has not delivered the result", said Milijelj, adding that the Port of Budva must also be a vital, touristic and commercial lifeline.
Mikijelj explained that the company's goal is to attract a larger number of high-paying tourists with yachts and large ships, and that for this they need a serious and thorough reconstruction of the Port of Budva and a new management approach.
"The port of Budva must live and work for all 12 months because then the citizens and the economy around it will be satisfied. I am sure that the income will be many times higher than Morsko dov received from the tenant in the past, which is the amount of 179 thousand euros. Regardless of the fact that our focus will not be on profit, because we will put the emphasis on increasing the number of communal moorings so that the fishermen and citizens of Budva will be satisfied, we will still increase the income from this project several times after a year or two. That income will primarily be aimed at beautifying the area of the Port of Budva, strengthening speedboat lines from Budva to other cities..." Mikijelj said.
When asked what the price of communal moorings in Budva Harbor will be, Mikijelj said that it must be the result of a careful analysis in order to attract everyone who wants to own that mooring, to use a boat, to fish, as a means of going to the sea and swimming.
"After taking over the Port of Budva, we have 530 berths at our disposal, of which 270 are communal and 260 are commercial berths. At the time of takeover, almost all seasonal commercial berths were already contracted, as well as most of the annual ones. Nevertheless, we managed to provide another 70 seasonal commercial berths, and the further focus is on the distribution of communal berths. It is currently processing around 420 requests from the citizens of Budva with the aim of providing as many connections as possible to the local population. Based on the results of this distribution, we will determine the number of commercial berths for the next season. Prices depend on the length of the vessel and the status of the owner. For vessels registered for sports and recreation, prices start at 250 euros, while for vessels registered for commercial activities (transportation of passengers or fishing) the prices are slightly higher. The maximum price for a communal berth is 1.200 euros. A special benefit is valid for the citizens of Budva who have a license for commercial fishing, issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, because for them the communal mooring is free. This offer allows the port to respond to the needs of a wide range of users, from local residents and businessmen to visitors looking for temporary berths for different periods," said Milkijelj.
The Maritime Administration sent an initiative to the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs to declare the Port of Budva a city port and, according to Mikijelj, that initiative is in the process and they expect official information soon that will confirm the vision of a more accessible and functional port for all citizens and visitors of Budva.
According to Mikijelj, in June, work began on the rehabilitation and furnishing of the area of the administration building, customs and police of the Port of Budva for the purposes of establishing the international shipping line Budva - Dubrovnik after a decades-long hiatus.
"I'm glad that Morsko good made it possible for that to happen. The works were successfully completed in the shortest possible time, in just 30 days. The value of the works was 175 thousand euros. A tender for the arrangement of the water area of the Port of Budva in terms of the procurement and installation of floating pontoons in length of 48 meters with anchoring stabilization, which is necessary on our coast, which contains the measurement of electricity and water, is in progress, which represents the first phase of the works, and with that we will have the most modern technology for 45 new berths", said Mikijelj.
He said that in the second phase, the installation of breakwater elements with a length of 60 meters will follow, or translated into the number of berths - some 50 new berths, namely 28 internal berths that we will have throughout the year and 22 external berths, for seasonal and larger vessels.
"As part of this phase, we will move and adapt two existing pontoons. In this way, we are contributing to the Port of Budva getting new moorings, already through the implementation of the I and II phases, about 95 new berths for small and medium-sized vessels, which is in line with the long-term development strategy of the Port," Milijelj said.
He pointed out that taking over the Port of Budva is one of those strategic goals that he promised when he came to the head of the Maritime Dobr, and that almost all the goals we set before ourselves have been fully achieved, except for the return of the beaches on Sveti Stefan to locals and tourists.
Revenue this year is over 20 million euros
Mikijelj, who has been the director of Morski Dobr for the last three years, stated that by the end of this year, he will earn more than 20 million euros.
"Since taking over the leadership, the company's profit has increased from the initial 28 thousand euros in 2021 to a significant 2,3 million euros in 2023. I can say that I expect that, after the new public call for beaches, the reaffirmation of the Port of Budva and other projects that we are currently working on, in the next year we will raise this year's income and profit by over 20 percent, which will again be the most dynamic growth among similar companies in the region. With this responsible approach, we contributed to the growth of the state's capital from two million euros in 2022 to over 13,3 million euros in 2023 with constant investments in infrastructure and improvement of services for the benefit of the state and citizens," said Mikijelj.
He added that the Port of Budva will achieve its results in two directions - the interest of citizens and tourists, as a priority in action, and a positive financial result as the second most important work task.
"I am proud that we are completely fulfilling both goals and tasks and that all our partners, as well as the Government, are satisfied", concluded Mikijelj.
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