Bids have already been invited by the Italian region Friuli Venezia Giulia. After the best bidder is chosen, a regular service linking the four towns would be introduced during the year, Il Piccolo said.
The best bidder will be receiving, over a period of five years, subsidies amounting to 1,645,796 euros annually at the most. In turn the company would have to offer favourable transport prices to help relieve road transport between Trieste and Rovinj.
The ferry service between Trieste and towns in Istria was discontinued in the summer of 2005.
Friuli Venezia Giulia will thus be the first Italian region to grant funds to establish maritime links with a non-EU country.