Secret project in the Adriatic: Bavaria’s energy saviour and the gigantic new mega-bridge for Krk!
While we lie in the sun on Krk’s picturesque beaches and enjoy the crystal-clear water of the Adriatic, something gigantic is happening just a few kilometres away.
It’s about nothing less than the future of Europe’s energy supply! The island of Krk has suddenly moved to the centre of a geopolitical mega-project. In focus: the floating LNG terminal off the coast, a gigantic pipeline plan for southern Germany and a huge construction project that is meant to solve the island’s traffic problems for good.
From holiday idyll to European powerhouse
Forget the romantic old towns for a moment. Off the coast beats Croatia’s industrial heart. The country has massively ramped up the capacity of its floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at breathtaking speed – to a whopping 6.1 billion cubic metres a year!
The clever part? Croatia itself doesn’t even need half of it. A gigantic energy surplus is looking for its way into Europe, and one German state has become particularly interested: Bavaria.
The pipeline poker: full throttle over the Alps
The time for diplomatic restraint is over. Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković already made it unmistakably clear in Zagreb: it has to happen fast! The plan is a direct energy motorway that pumps the precious gas from the island of Krk via Slovenia and Austria straight into southern Germany. If the plans work out, the diggers for this strategic lifeline could start rolling in just two to three years.
The sensational solution: the island of Krk is getting a new double-deck bridge. Cars race along the top, freight trains roll below!
– The mega-project against traffic jamsThe traffic sensation: a mega-bridge for Krk!
So much new industry and the planned container terminal in Omišalj naturally take their toll on the infrastructure – and this is where it gets really exciting for all Krk fans! The existing concrete bridge, which in summer often drives us crazy with 17 to 19 kilometres of traffic jams, will no longer be able to bear these huge loads on its own in future.
The sensational solution: the island of Krk is getting a new bridge! And what a bridge! An architectural masterpiece on two levels is planned. Up top, cars race across the Adriatic on four lanes, while below roll the freight trains connecting the LNG and container terminal directly to the European mainland network. The new “Golden Gate Bridge of Krk” is to run further south and massively relieve the old bridge. An absolute game-changer for everyone arriving in high season!
The green joker: hydrogen instead of just natural gas
Anyone who thinks this is just a short-term stopgap for the gas supply is very much mistaken. The entire energy project has an ace up its sleeve: the pipes and facilities are designed from the outset to carry green hydrogen in future. The holiday island of Krk is thus permanently turning into one of the most important hubs for tomorrow’s clean energy!
Are our holidays in danger?
The most important question for all Croatia lovers: will our much-loved holiday on Krk now be dominated by pipelines, trains and industrial plants? The clear answer is: no!
The gigantic terminal and the new industrial facilities are cleverly hidden in the already industrial north near Omišalj, far away from the tourist hotspots, dream beaches and idyllic bays. On the contrary: thanks to the construction of the gigantic new double-deck bridge, the nerve-racking summer traffic jam will soon be history! So the next time you drive to the island, you’ll experience not just a beautiful holiday paradise but a real pioneering place that is writing a piece of European history – and may just save Bavaria’s winter in the process!
