Increased flow at the Port of Durrës, double sailings to Bari resume

At the peak of the tourist season, the Port of Durrës is recording a large movement of passengers and vehicles. Port authorities expect the number of passengers to be about 10 percent higher than in the same period last year.

To cope with this increase, double sailings on the Durrës-Bari route have returned this weekend. The captain of the Port of Durrës, Taulant Allka, stated that companies have made available ferries with larger capacities, while special trips for truck transport have also been added, aiming to ease traffic and prevent delays.

The sea routes are being used not only by emigrants coming to spend holidays with their families, but increasingly also by foreign tourists choosing to visit Albania. According to port authorities, mid-July also coincides with the start of the mass return of compatriots living and working in Switzerland.

Allka said that the presence of foreign nationals has increased this season. He explained that Albanian emigrants from Switzerland travel earlier than compatriots living in Italy and Germany. During weekends, the flow reaches about 5,000 passengers a day, while on ordinary days it ranges from 2,500 to 3,000 travelers.

On average, up to 3,000 passengers pass through the Port of Durrës every day, while on weekends their number exceeds 5,000. Along with the deployment of larger ferries by shipping companies, port authorities have increased staff and service counters to speed up procedures and avoid waiting.