Building port infrastructure, in which €250 million has been invested, is crucial for the demographic revival and economic development of the islands, a conference on the infrastructure development of Dalmatian ports was told in Split on Tuesday.

In the last seven years, €250 million has been invested in the port infrastructure and the trend will continue, said Josip Bilaver, state secretary at the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Ministry.

The reconstruction of the port infrastructure comprises 25 projects, of which 14 have been completed.

Bilaver said a tender would soon be advertised for funds from the Operational Programme Cohesion and Competitiveness, adding that €23 million is available for berths along the Adriatic coast under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

A new Split port terminal will also be financed under the NRRP.

According to Split Port Authority director Vice Mihnovic, 970,000 vehicles will have passed through the port this year and in ten years or so their number will increase to 1.5 million.