Luka Koper has announced a summary of its business plan for 2022 as well as its estimate of business performance for 2021.

The main factors influencing Luka Koper in 2021 as well as in the upcoming period are the following: impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, recovery of the global activity as well as instability due to the shortage of car semiconductors, and occasional delays in car production. With that in mind, the Company is projecting a maritime throughput of 20.6m by the end of the year, which is 5% higher than 2020 and at the planned level for 2021.

The increase in throughput is driven by higher throughput in container, car, and dry bulk cargo sectors, despite the aggravated business environment. At the same time, due to the decrease in air passenger traffic and lower volume of petroleum product throughput, there was a decrease in throughput of liquid cargoes. Dry and dry bulk cargoes were also influenced by the Pan-European „green“ policy, calling for the reduction in the usage of thermal coal.

Due to these influences, the Company estimates a net revenue from sales from 2021 in the amount of EUR 223.3m, which is 6% higher than 2020 and 1% higher than the 2021 plan. EBIT will achieve EUR 27m, which is 19% lower than 2020 and 5% ahead of plan, while net profit will achieve EUR 26.1m, which is 18% lower than 2020 and 7% ahead of the 2021 plan.

Looking over to 2022, based on the global situation and economic projections for 2022 (based on the IMF and OECD GDP estimates), the Company will achieve 9% higher net revenue from sales and 3% higher maritime throughput, throughout all cargo groups.

Container throughput is expected to increase by 3%, as compared to 2021 estimates. This will continue to be affected by the instability in maritime shipping that happened in 2021. At the same time, looking over to cars cargo group, the Company expects a lower impact of the pandemic in 2022 on car production, and thus 4% higher throughput of cars in the port.

Luka Koper expects 16% higher EBIT and 23% higher net profit compared to the 2021 estimate, mostly due to higher planned net revenue from sales, lower cost growth compared to sales growth, and higher financial revenue.

The Company also discussed its investment plan for 2022. In the plan, they outline the enlargement of the container terminal capacity, the construction of additional storage areas for cars as well as the improvement of operating conditions for the throughput of general cargoes. The whole investment plan is estimated to amount to EUR 70.4m, of which EUR 12.3m will be for sustainable development projects.

Key Performance Indicators of Luka Koper in 2021 and 2022, EURm