Transitioning from older state-owned models to modern corporate governance remains a hurdle. High ownership concentration (in this case, 100% state ownership) has been used as a substitute for underdeveloped governance frameworks to protect investment interests, but it often limits flexibility. The Path Forward: Sustainability and the Blue Economy
Despite its maritime expertise, the company historically lagged in environmental reporting. Public records from its operational period indicate no reported carbon emissions figures, nor documented reduction targets or climate commitments, placing it in a lower percentile compared to the industry average for sustainability disclosure. This lack of modern compliance, however, was the least of its worries as financial storms gathered on the horizon.
Crnogorska plovidba (Montenegrin Shipping) označava istoriju, razvoj, strukturu i značaj pomorskog saobraćaja povezanog s Crnom Gorom — njenim pomorjem, brodarstvom, maritimnim tradicijama, lučkim aktivnostima i regionalnim i međunarodnim vezama. Ispod sledi sveobuhvatan pregled: istorijski razvoj, ključne institucije i preduzeća, tipovi plovila i operacija, ekonomski i geopolitički značaj, regulatorni okvir, infrastruktura i luke, izazovi i perspektive. crnogorska plovidba
In the years that followed, the situation deteriorated rapidly. By 2023, Crnogorska plovidba could not cover its installment payments to the Chinese bank, which amounted to approximately $2.55 million per period. By 2024, the situation was terminal. An audit report revealed that the company was effectively insolvent. The Altman Z-score (a measure of financial health) plummeted to -0.88, far below the threshold of 1.1 that signals imminent bankruptcy. The company’s debts to the state alone exceeded 37 million euros, while the market value of its only assets—the two bulk carriers—was rapidly declining.
By mid-2024, the situation was nearing a breaking point. Government officials, including Minister of Maritime Affairs Filip Radulović, began describing the situation as “catastrophic,” with discussions even turning toward the possibility of initiating bankruptcy proceedings. The company’s management argued that after the final loan installment to Exim Bank was paid in January 2025, the ships would be “free and clear” of any pledge, making them eligible as collateral for new loans to buy additional vessels and expand the fleet. The management presented a business plan projecting millions in profits and fleet expansion. Public records from its operational period indicate no
: There is a stark divide between the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, which claims the ships were in "catastrophic technical condition" , and independent inspections from the US and South Korea that reportedly found them to be seaworthy and in good shape just before the sale.
Press release from the 76th Cabinet session - Vlada Crne Gore began describing the situation as “catastrophic
To prevent this, the Montenegrin Cabinet has been forced to adopt urgent information measures to resolve the liquidity crisis and ensure the "long-term sustainability" of the maritime sector. Operational and Structural Challenges