International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) is strengthening its footprint in Europe after its Croatian subsidiary secured a new direct shipping link connecting the Adriatic region with key Asian trade hubs.
The launch of Mediterranean Shipping Company’s (MSC) Phoenix service at Adriatic Gate Container Terminal (AGCT) in the Port of Rijeka marks a significant boost for the Croatian gateway, enhancing cargo flows between Europe and Asia at a time when shipping lines and logistics operators are seeking faster and more efficient trade routes.
The new service reinforces Rijeka’s growing role as a strategic entry point for goods moving into Croatia as well as landlocked markets across Southeast and Central Europe. For exporters and importers, the direct connection is expected to reduce transit complexity, improve supply chain reliability and provide greater access to major manufacturing centers in Asia.
“We are grateful to MSC for their trust in AGCT as one of their main gateway terminals in the Adriatic,” said AGCT Chief Executive Officer Iñigo Mendibe.
“With this addition, AGCT now has two weekly direct services coming from the Far East to best serve not only Croatia, but also key landlocked markets in Southeast and Central Europe,” he added.
The Phoenix service links major ports including Busan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Singapore, Trieste, Koper and Rijeka, creating a direct corridor between the Far East and the Adriatic.
Initially deploying vessels with capacities of 8,000 to 11,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), MSC plans to introduce ships exceeding 13,000 TEUs, significantly increasing cargo capacity along the route.
The inaugural call of the MSC AGAMEMNON VIII on June 2 highlights AGCT’s growing importance within MSC’s global network and underscores ICTSI’s strategy of expanding the competitiveness of its international terminals.
For ICTSI, the development is more than a new shipping service. It strengthens the company’s position in a critical trade corridor where demand for efficient Europe-Asia logistics links continues to grow.
