Agency for the Coastal Maritime Traffic Lines about speculations on the prices of maritime transport

Agency for the Coastal Maritime Traffic Lines reported today that the possibility of increasing of the prices in the ferries transport, ferry and fast-ship lines, are to be considered, and the final decision on the new price list will be brought out by the Governing Council of the Agency, and all states in the media on the percentage growth, the new prices and about the beginning of the application of those measures, at this momment are in the field of the speculations.

"Allegations of percentage growth, the specific rates for individual lines for each type of the transport, and the start time of their application at this point are in the field of speculations. Especially contrived manner are issued claims of drastic price rise, even up to 100%, on to thefast-ship lines" - according to a statement of the Agency.

"It is true that the ability to increase fares on the ferry, ship and fast-ship lines are considered as one of the measures in broader efforts to lack of budgetary resources for the year 2010, which reflects less on the system line transportation to and from the Adriatic Sea." - are some of the highlights from the Agency.

Added that the proposals for price increases also came from the "Jadrolinija" the largest Croatian passenger shipping company, and also from the other shipping companies, with a note that in some lines, especially on the fast-ship lines, tickets prices are unrealistically low, even several times lower than the tariffs in the other European countries.

Based on the shipping requirements, the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure gave the order to the Agency for the Coastal Maritime Traffic Lines to prepare proposals for new prices in the coastal line transport, and the calculations with the impact of such price increases on increasing the funds, wich is necessary for the maintenance of links with the islands, as been said in the Agencie's statement.

"Spetial task-units of the Agency are working on preparing the new price list. Since this is a very demanding job, you can not specify when they could be made, especially when it came into force. Particularly because it is not possible on a linear increase in the price of 5, 10% or more on all lines, but the calculations are prepared for each line separately. The final decision shall be adopted by the Governing Board of the Agency for Coastal Maritime Transport Lines, and before that without any basis for the publication of new tariffs" - as concluded Marijan Zuvic, the Head of the Office for the Public Relationas in the Agency for the Coastal Maritime Traffic Lines.