The President of the Management Board of ENNA Logic and ENNA Transport took part in the SCM Forum Panel Discussion: The Future of Croatia’s Supply Chain – Investments, Infrastructure, and Global Trends

Zagreb, May 23, 2025 – Gregor Glušič, President of the Management Board of ENNA Logic and ENNA Transport, participated in the SCM Forum held at the Westin Hotel in Zagreb on Thursday, May 22, 2025. The Forum was organized by the Supply Chain Magazine (SCM) under the patronage of the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure. The SCM Forum gathered numerous Supply Chain Management experts who provided a comprehensive perspective on supply chain management and discussed the challenges and opportunities awaiting the future of transport and logistics.

Gregor Glušič participated in the Forum's first panel titled “The Future of Croatia’s Supply Chain – Investments, Infrastructure, and Global Trends.” Alongside him, the panel included Ivan Kršić, President of the Management Board of HŽ Infrastructure, Igor Šikanjić, Regional Sales Manager at A.P. Moller – Maersk, and Ana Soldo, Regional Director of Quehenberger Logistics d.o.o.

In the panel’s opening segment, the President of ENNA Logic recalled the beginnings of cooperation with Maersk and how the idea of launching a new terminal in Rijeka came about.

“The cooperation between Maersk and ENNA began back in 2017 with the first train between Rijeka and Budapest. Before that, trains ran from Koper, but there were significantly more trucks. The idea for the terminal came from Maersk, and we saw our opportunity in that – we wanted to support such a large project so that we, as a railway operator, could grow. At that time, rail transport in Croatia was stagnating; there was neither growth nor decline, so we wanted to generate more business to achieve the desired growth.”

One of the most important topics at nearly every logistics conference is the renewal of railway infrastructure. Ivan Kršić stated that a major investment cycle in railway reconstruction had already begun and that the government plans to invest €6 billion to bring the entire railway system up to European standards.

“We launched a major investment cycle a few years ago. There is practically no part of the railway infrastructure where we are not in some phase—whether it’s planning, feasibility studies, construction, modernization, or maintenance. The biggest challenge now is the shortage of designers and contractors in Croatia, making it difficult to start and finish everything within reasonable timelines. Certainly, the greatest opportunity and challenge is to bring railway infrastructure to a level acceptable for transport operators,” said Kršić, adding that HŽ Infrastructure is currently focused on two main corridors, which handle 75% of total railway traffic: Rijeka – Zagreb – Hungary and Slovenia – Zagreb – Serbia.

Gregor Glušič also commented on infrastructure renewal, emphasizing the importance of the quality of the lowland railway and the development and upgrade of terminals to accommodate additional cargo.

“The question is no longer whether the lowland railway will be built, but what kind of railway it will be. We all know that in Koper, within six months, trains of 650–700 meters will be operable, and we are still at 500 meters. These are the types of issues we should be discussing. At the new terminal, we plan to move 60% of the total cargo by rail. For comparison, one train can replace and carry the load of 40–50 trucks. If we fail at this, imagine how many trucks would end up on the roads—especially in July, during the peak tourist season, when roads are already overcrowded. Infrastructure is key to further development and progress, and ultimately, the development of rail terminals, whether in Zagreb, Belgrade, or Budapest. Terminals must be prepared to handle that additional cargo.”

Slow bureaucracy and a lack of experts are major issues at all stages of infrastructure renewal. Commenting on the construction work, Ivan Kršić explained that they face two significant challenges throughout all project phases. The first is a shortage of designers in the Croatian market, meaning companies, even when they win contracts, often fail to meet deadlines due to a lack of skilled staff. The second major challenge is administrative procedures in Croatia. As an example, he mentioned that for the new railway project from Hrvatski Leskovac to Karlovac, they had to spend 10 months monitoring the impact of increased railway traffic on frogs and storks in Draganić, even though trains have passed through that area for 150 years.

When discussing the challenges in the rail sector, the lack of personnel is a serious issue. This topic was brought up by Gregor Glušič, who pointed to the shortage of workforce and the disappearing job profiles that will be crucial in the future.

“Train drivers and train inspectors are disappearing job profiles, yet they will be critically needed—not only here but throughout the European Union. In Zagreb, there is a technical high school for train drivers, which graduates just one class per year. From one class, about ten students go on to university, leaving only five to seven train drivers available for hire. The average age of train drivers is increasing daily, and they will soon retire. I believe these are well-paid jobs for those with secondary vocational education. A train driver can earn 20–30% more than the national average salary. I would like to see part of the €6 billion infrastructure investment directed toward scholarships and promoting railway professions. Most students training for railway professions come from families already working in the sector. All of Europe is investing in railway infrastructure, but no one is investing in job promotion. Slovenia and Austria face the same issue. Our train drivers are leaving for Austria where the pay is significantly better—that’s the reality.”

Ivan Kršić also addressed the staff shortage, saying that when he started at HŽ Infrastructure, the company had more than 2,000 employees, but now employs nearly 400 fewer, causing significant difficulties in meeting contractual obligations.

All panelists agreed that digitalization will be essential and unavoidable in future business operations. Igor Šikanić noted that the Rijeka Gateway terminal is fully digitized and has its own 5G network, independent of external influences. In addition to digitalization, the Rijeka Gateway terminal will also utilize green energy. Continuing the digitalization topic, Gregor Glušič stated that both ENNA Logic and ENNA Transport are moving in that direction.

“As a railway operator, we will be connected with our clients through various software and systems, and we will also be connected with the terminal. We will definitely invest additional resources in these types of solutions.”

At the end of the panel discussion, the participants concluded that rail is the future, but better infrastructure is necessary, as the current situation is not satisfactory. Regulations and procedures need to be expedited to facilitate the overall reconstruction process.

“Those who are not agile in logistics won’t last long. We must not be content with what we have; we must always strive to improve. Through quality infrastructure, we need to elevate ourselves to a higher level. Without strong support for the railway, it will be difficult to make any real progress in the sector—especially since we know we can’t build another highway,” concluded Gregor Glušič at the end of the conference.