RIJEKA, Dec 22 (Hina) - A HRK 189 million contract was signed in the northern Adriatic port city of Rijeka on Tuesday as part of the Rijeka Gateway project to expand the wharf and storage area in the port's container terminal.

The contract was signed by the director of the Rijeka Port Authority, Bojan Hlaca, and representatives of contractors -- Josip Puric of GP Krk, Josko Mikulic of Viadukt and Dusan Crnigoj of the Slovenian company Primorje. The signing ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Bozidar Kalmeta.

The wharf will be extended by 330 metres and the storage area will be expanded by 50,000 square metres.

Hlaca said that the volume of transport over the last eight years had increased from 10,000 container units (TEU) to 180,000, adding that this had made it possible for the opening in the Rijeka area of some 60 forwarding and shipping firms and firms representing foreign shipping companies, which he said employed about 1,000 workers in all.

Hlaca said that once the capacity of the container terminal was expanded, the Port of Rijeka would be able to handle up to 500,000 TEU annually.