TRANSEUROPA LINES TO INTRODUCE SEVERAL SERVICES IN ADRIATIC

PLOCE, Jan 18 (Hina) - Representatives of the "Transeuropa Lines" shipping company on Thursday met Ploce port authorities to discuss the establishment of international links between the southern Croatian port and Italy, Slovenia and Albania. Transeuropa Lines is based in Cyprus and its owner is from London. The first shipping link to be established would connect the Slovene port of Koper, Ploce and the Italian port of Bari. The service would be operated twice a week by a "Hornbeam" passenger ship which can carry 45 trucks, 75 passenger cars and 260 passengers. The trial run was announced for January 20. Preparations were under way to introduce a regular international service between Ploce and the Italian port of Ancona, and there were also plans to link Ploce with the Albanian port of Modern roll-on roll-off ferries, which can carry up to 1,000 passengers and 800 cars or 100 trucks, will be running on these lines at a speed of up to 20 knots. Transeurope Lines representatives said that services would operate at a financial loss at first, adding that they expected a profit in several months after Bosnia-Herzegovina becomes a large building site and Adriatic tourism revives. (hina) lm jn 181649 MET jan 96