Small Croatian shipowners

Small Croatian shipping companies are a unique part of the Croatian nautical tourism offer, and what they have in common is that they simultaneously meet all 8 of the following criteria:

They sail under the Croatian flag

The shipowner is also the shipowner

The professional crew on the ships is employed on the basis of an employment contract

Members of the shipowner’s family – family business – are regularly represented in the crew

A long maritime and entrepreneurial tradition – from cargo transportation to luxury ships

100% Croatian product, from design, construction and equipment

The ships are both for tourist and passenger purposes, because they provide tourist catering services and passenger transport at the same time

Shipowners are Croatian companies and crafts that replenish the budget revenues, mandatory contributions and revenues for other public needs. They do not pay out profits, but reinvest them.

For decades, Croatia has been synonymous with a rich shipbuilding tradition, and in the last 15 years we have witnessed significant progress in the development of small shipping companies, which have become key carriers of nautical tourism. Since 2005, the incentives of the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the competent ministries have enabled the renewal and modernization of the passenger and excursion fleet, which has resulted in the growth and quality of this sector.

Strategic documents, such as the Project of Renewal and Modernization of the Passenger and Excursion Fleet from 2005 and the Strategy for the Development of Nautical Tourism in the Republic of Croatia 2009-2019, set the basic guidelines for infrastructure development and encouraging the construction of new vessels in Croatian shipyards. These plans are additionally supported by the Tourism Development Strategy of the Republic of Croatia until 2020 and the Action Plan for the Development of Nautical Tourism from 2015 which enables the continuous construction of high-quality vessels that meet the highest standards of nautical tourism.

From 2013 to today, 100 new cruise ships have been built, which is the fulfillment of the plan outlined in the Government’s strategy from the same year. Annually, around 15 new vessels are produced in Croatian shipyards, with an average gross tonnage of 441 GT. Investments per ship amount to 2.5 to 3 million euros, and when investments in existing capacities are included, the total value of investments in Croatian shipbuilding exceeds 50 million euros per year.

A particularly impressive development is visible in the sector of luxury ships. From 2017 to 2019, 49 luxury vessels were built, with accommodation facilities corresponding to the standard of a five-star hotel, while 9 hotels of a similar level were built in Croatia in the same period. These ships often achieve accommodation prices that exceed those of hotels of the highest category, and the construction of ships for international navigation opens up new possibilities for extending the season, not only in the Adriatic but also in the wider Mediterranean and the Caribbean. This
continuous growth and investment in quality confirm that the tradition of shipbuilding in Croatia is not only a part of history, but also a key element of future development, which ensures the stable growth of nautical tourism and the strengthening of Croatia’s position on the world tourist map.