DOI
Published 2021-11-02
Keywords
- Sustainable mobility,
- maritime passenger transport,
- public transport,
- cross-border,
- feasibility
Abstract
Maritime traffic usually involves the transport of large quantities of cargo over long distances. Under such circumstances, maritime transport achieves the highest efficiency. Sometimes, however, it is indispensable or simply useful for shorter distances and for the carriage of passengers.
In some cities, passenger transport by ship is an integral part of public transport. In fact, some 420 million passengers use regular maritime services in the EU; most of these journeys are made within territorial waters.
In this paper, the authors analyze the possibility of introducing a public maritime transport service between two neighboring cities located in two different EU Member States, namely Koper in Slovenia and Trieste in Italy. Although both cities are located in the EU, this is considered an international voyage and as such is subject to strict regulations imposed by International Maritime Organization, which consequently increases capital, operational and travel costs.