When it comes to the investments in river infrastructure on the Danube, the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, together with European partners, are working on expanding the capacity of the Port of Prahovo, adapting the ship locks as part of hydroelectric power plant “Đerdap 1” and hydroelectric power plant “Đerdap 2”, as well as on the extraction of the sunken German fleet from the Second World War from the Danube near Prahovo, said the Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Tomislav Momirović during a tour of the sunken German fleet near the Port of Prahovo on the Danube, adding that total value of all three projects is slightly less than 100 million euros.
“I am really proud that we managed to ensure the navigability of the Danube along its entire length on the territory of our country in these record low water levels, because the Danube is a European corridor and when we talk about cargo and freight traffic, if it is not passable, it does not have its full efficiency”, stated Momirović.
Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia Emanuel Giofre and Director of the Regional Office of the European Investment Bank for the Western Balkans Alessandro Bragonzi, who were also attending the tour, pointed out that a project was created through the joint cooperation of the relevant ministry, the European Union and the European Investment Bank, which will remove sunken vessels existing on the Danube.
Giofre pointed out that sunken ships represent a big problem primarily due to river transport, as well as a great danger because they contain unexploded ordnance, and they are also an environmental problem. Bragonzi added that in addition to local economic development, a wider and more reliable waterway will be provided.
The recovery of the sunken German fleet involves the removal of 21 sunken vessels from the Second World War from the Danube River near Prahovo, from 862 km to 857 km, in order to ensure the waterway for safe navigation. The value of the project is 30 million euro, and the funds are provided from loans from the European Investment Bank and grants from the WBIF fund.