Montenegro is preparing to re-establish its maritime link with Italy after a nine-year break, as officials from Barska plovidba announced that ferry services from Bar to Bari would resume on 1 July, with a second line to Ancona beginning on 8 July.
The seasonal routes will run through July and August, offering what many see as a vital reconnection with the Italian coast.
Representatives from Barska plovidba explained that the Bar–Bari ferry line, originally launched in 1965, had been discontinued in 2016 — a move many locals considered unjustified given the benefits it once brought.
Ćazim Alković, president of the company’s board, said the line had offered Bar an “exit to the world” and argued that re-establishing a permanent service would require the government’s support in purchasing a new ferry, estimated at €10–20 million.
He stressed that this was a modest investment for the state and claimed the returns would be substantial.
Alković also noted that any long-term solution would require improved infrastructure and compliance with international maritime standards, adding that it could take two to three years before the line became profitable again.
