Koper: Successful restructuring of a. hartrodt Adria

In Slovenia, a. hartrodt has used the pandemic period for a successful restructuring. "In the first five months of this year, we were able to increase sales by 250 percent," says Davide Orecchia, Managing Director at a. hartrodt Adria in Koper. The 37-year-old has headed the country organization since September 2021. A year ago, the Italian moved from Johannesburg, where he was most recently Business Development Manager at a. hartrodt South Africa. In Koper, he has recruited a new team of two, including an experienced sales manager: "Our goal is to win more Slovenian customers."

China shipments most requested

According to Davide Orecchia, a. hartrodt Adria has so far served "95 percent of customers from our network". As an example, he mentions sea freight imports from China to Slovenia and the Balkan region in general. "As a country of origin and destination, China is most requested, especially when it comes to e-commerce," the manager reports. Currently, he is also receiving more inquiries for shipments to North America including the USA.

Leading container port of the North Adriatic Sea

With almost 1 million TEUs, Luka Koper set a record throughput in 2021. For more capacity and accelerated operations, the leading container port of the North Adriatic Sea is undergoing a high-speed expansion. In May, three new e-RTG (electric rubber tyred gantry cranes) and two super-post panamax STS (ship-to-shore) container cranes were purchased. Additional stacking areas and storage areas for steel boxes are planned. "The hinterland connection by rail is crucial," underlines Davide Orecchia. The national hub in Ljubljana is to be connected with the port of Koper by a second track by 2026. "Currently, most of the cargo within a radius of less than 400 kilometers from the port of Koper goes by truck, whilst for longer distances, rail is the best option," says the manager.

Since the war in Ukraine, a. hartrodt Adria has also been handling more shipments from/to Romania. "For containers that are normally shipped via the port of Constanța, Koper is a good alternative in case the port of Constanța incurs blank sailings or huge congestions," says Davide Orecchia.