The history of the city of Trieste is entirely linked with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which established special privileges to improve changes in traffics and demands of trade by creating a Free Port Zone. Nowadays, the Trieste Free Port Zones enjoy the legal status of custom clearance exemption, which, undoubtedly, represents the biggest difference between the local regulations and those at European level.
The most well-known service is linked to the traffic that generates about one third of the total trade between Europe and Turkey through the Port of Trieste getting, finally, to Central and Eastern Europe.
DFDS’s secure access to the Port of Trieste is the basis of the ‘sea bridge’ between Turkey and the EU. The port’s features also bring critical responsibilities:
- The ‘free’ status of the Port of Trieste –which is not available at any other Mediterranean port– offers a significant advantage to the DFDS customers.
- The free, commercial port zone of Trieste is subject to a regime of extraterritoriality, pursuant to which the Italian government cannot limit the flow of international cargo passing through Italy, making it the ideal port for Europe-bound cargo traffic from the Eastern Mediterranean.
- Given the limited number of annual transit permits the Italian Government provides to Turkey, the ‘free’ status of the Port of Trieste is one of the key attractions for Turkish freight operators to use DFDS’s short sea shipping service.
DFDS vessels departing from Pendik and Mersin arrive at Riva Traiana Terminal, which is operated by Samer Seaports & Terminals. Samer has been working with Turkish firms as an agency and managing ports since 1987
