Croatia eyes ‘port economy’ cooperation with PH in historic visit

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Philippines and Croatia are exploring deeper cooperation in maritime, port, and labor sectors as both nations look to expand economic partnership and strengthen ties built over three decades of diplomatic relations.

The effort was highlighted during the historic visit to Manila by Croatian Foreign Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman this week. He said Croatia aims to share its maritime expertise and port infrastructure as a bridge between Southeast Asia and Europe.

In a joint press conference, Radman said Croatia sees “strong potential” for collaboration in port development, logistics, energy, and defense, noting that the Port of Rijeka on the Adriatic Sea could serve as an entry point for Philippine goods bound for the European market.

“Croatia can serve as an energy hub in the region, with ports like Rijeka housing the LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal and major oil pipelines,” Radman said.

“This creates opportunities for Philippine investment and cooperation in shipping and logistics,” he added.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro described Radman’s visit as “a significant milestone” in 32 years of diplomatic ties, saying the two sides discussed cooperation in defense modernization, trade, labor, and education.

“There is much room for growth, but this presents plenty of promise,” Lazaro said. “The Philippines offers opportunities for investment in manufacturing, IT-BPO, food and beverage, and creative industries.”

Croatia, whose Adriatic coastline anchors its economy and connects it to Central Europe, has been developing its “port economy” strategy positioning itself as a key logistics and energy hub linking Europe and Asia.