Transport corridor Romania: Infrastructure development to rank Constanţa Seaport 2nd in Europe

"Through the port of Constanţa, Romania has potential to become the main gate for the access of goods coming from Eastern Asia and Middle East to Central and Eastern Asia and, thus, to become one of the future's major trade routes. But in order to take maximum advantage of the geographical plus, it is necessary to focus on improving the infrastructure and on performing several essential legislative amendments that would turn Romania into the ideal destination for European imports", declared in a press release Peter de Ruiter, Partner and Tax and Legal Services Leader PWC Romania, saying that forwarders and logistics companies will have to adapt to changes in the dynamics of trade routes in order to maximise profit opportunities.


But in order to become a competitive hub in the CEE area, the seaport has to develop railway connections by implementing new infrastructure projects. Apart from the 300 km of railways and a ferry-boat terminal, Constanţa Seaport has a huge infrastructure development potential, by opening new ferry-boat lines and more: "we have several new projects consisting in the development of the railway capacity in the river-maritime area of the Black Sea port. We are planning to build a new switch-yard in the port of Constanţa, double the railway lines, build 11 km of new lines, railway shunting stations, as well as a waiting line for locomotives", said Adrian Popa, General Manager of Constanţa Seaport Administration.


Boosting the railway capacity consists in developing a systematized railway hub in the river-maritime sector of the port. Thus, based on the traffic forecasts for 2020, other railway lines serving current operators will be developed, a project estimated at EUR 17.6 Million.


The rapid development of the port infrastructure will have a vital contribution to ranking Constanţa Seaport 2nd in Europe. This goal is backed by the Romanian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure who signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the port of Constanţa and the port of Rotterdam for cooperation in developing projects and in establishing a strategic long-term relationship.


Why is there a future for Cosntanta as a gateway ?

• Creating direct route for serving EU from Asia ( saving 2400 sea miles and reduce CO2
emissions)
• Route is more efficient and will attract additional benefits
• It will create new business for Romania (brokers, storage, transport companies)
• It will stimulate Romania to further develop logistic infrastructure (roads, inland ports,
intermodal strategy, railway transferhubs).

What is in it for Romania?

• Job creation (176.000) over 5- 10 years
• Increase tax income state (up 1.6 bln euro)
• More goods volume in port of Constanta (additional 2.1 million TEU in 2020)
• Attract new business and production (assembly): GDP up 10.7 bln euro
• Establishment of university education in supply chain and logistics
• Make Romania international EU entrance gate from the east: a trade
• hub (assembly & product customization activities, serving the Central and
• Eastern Europe (CEE) and Black Sea markets)
• Create logistic chain from Constanta to its hinterland
• Economic growth particularly in Romania (hubs: along Corridor Constanta - Bucharest -
Timisoara)
• International linkages (eg Danube strategy, energy sector)

Constanta Port's Development Plans

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) prepared a plan for Constanta Port in
order to act as a real Logistic Center for the regional trade, to be a Europe's Eastern Gateway,
as well as "turn-table'' of the European and Euro-Asian transports, a Master Plan for the
period up to 2020 and a Short Term Development Plan for the period up to 2013.


The projects are presenting a large range of interests for Constanta Port such as:
• Plans for covering increased traffic demand
• Plans for improving port operations
• Plans for improving port access
• Plans for environmental protection