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Romania's Constanta Port set to become eastern Europe's Rotterdam

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Related links Romania homepage Transport homepage Constantza Port Development [Project Summary Document] EBRD lends Port of Constanta EUR16 million [Press Release]

Cruising along the Black Sea coastline off the eastern shore of Romania, Gheorghe Moldoveanu, Chairman of the Board of the Port of Constanta, breaks into a confident smile that spreads across his sun-kissed face: “I want this to become the Rotterdam of eastern Europe”, he enthuses.

Aspiring to reach the standards of Europe’s largest port may be a dream for many port operators in the east. But for Mr Moldoveanu it goes far beyond just a dream. Already the largest port in the Black Sea, covering around 4,000 hectares, traffic volumes in Constanta are increasing annually by around 8 per cent.

Scores of finger-like cranes spanning the port handle 40 million tonnes a year of coal, oil, metals, grain and other goods on barges and larger vessels. And Constanta has the supreme advantage of location.

“We are at the gateway between the east and the west, says Mr Moldoveanu, and at the heart of the trading route connecting western Europe with the former Communist bloc and Turkey.”

Nestled on the west coast of the Black Sea with direct access to the River Danube it is strategically placed to attract business from its neighbours around the Black Sea and those countries connected to the river, including Austria, Germany, Hungary, Serbia and Montenegro and Romania.

An alternative form of transport

With congestion on roads in Austria and Germany through the sheer volume of traffic, river and sea transport is becoming an even more attractive alternative. Riccardo Puliti, Director for Transport at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, says the Port of Constanta is becoming very important for western Europe.

“Roads are clogged and an alternative route is desperately needed to transfer western goods to eastern markets and vice versa,” said Mr Puliti. In some countries limits on the number of trucks being used on roads during weekends are also being imposed, especially on weekends. “The route through the Danube to the Black Sea is becoming very appealing”.

A problem in itself

Mr Moldoveanu is well aware that the port faces the same challenges of increasing sea traffic and over demand. “One problem today is the lack of dock space for barges once they transfer goods,” said Mr Moldoveanu. “They block the port area causing bottlenecks that slow traffic and compromise safety”.

To address that problem and to keep Constanta competitive the EBRD recently lent the port €16 million to build a new barge terminal. A 2,200-metre quay wall will create berths for barges and improve convoy preparations. A small basin will hold pushers and tugboats that would otherwise remain stranded in the port. “The new terminal will streamline port activities, making transport along the river-maritime route more efficient, safer and ultimately benefiting its users, said Mr Puliti”.

Navrom Galati, the Romanian River Shipping Company, the largest user of the port, relies on efficient off-loading for its business. “One of the key successes to our business is for our barges to arrive, dock, drop off goods and leave,” said Constantin Harzan, the General Manager. “The EBRD loan is important in order to organise the port. If the system is better organised it is better for all parties involved, including us, the port and the canals leading into the port”. 

Growing through commitment and investment

In spite of growing demand for the port, it is still far from its goal, according to Adina Bas, its Commercial Director. “At its peak in 1986 the port hosted around 200 barges per day for both import and export,” she says with a piercing stare across the port from the boat. “That’s twice the number we have today.”

More than 20 years ago when Romania was a large supplier of industrial goods, around 60 million tonnes of goods passed through the port each year, a third more than today’s load.

“That was history, and now we look to the future. With hard work, the commitment from our staff, the investments we are dedicating to the port and with the support from institutions like the EBRD, within two to three years we expect to exceed the 1986 figure.”

25 October 2004