Road Connections Affecting the Competitiveness Strengthening of the Port of Ploče

Abstract

Due to its geographical situation, the port of Ploče has become a junction of land and sea routes within the Transport Corridor Vc, as a part of the Mediterranean Transport Corridor, passing through Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Hungary. The paper deals with the analysis of the connecting roads leading from the port of Ploče as well as with the evaluation of the respective road traffic volume. Although the congestion on certain road sections is related to the tourist transit traffic, the road traffic volume at the Transport Corridor Vc within Bosnia and Herzegovina indicates the need for the construction of a motorway to stretch out the Corridor. The planned modernisation will fundamentally improve the main road infrastructure on the Transport Corridor Vc that will facilitate the transport of goods and enable shorter travel time from the port of Ploče to the hinterland. Considering that the major portion of the freight transport from the port of Ploče uses road transport services, the envisaged modernisation will significantly increase competitiveness of the port, mostly due to the intermodal transport mode.