Expert commentary
Author: Dragos Boranda, Managing Director Romania at Rohlig SUUS Logistics
The Port of Constanca is currently developing. Cargo traffic increased by 21% in 2023, form 75.5 million tonnes in 2022 to 92 mt in the just-ended year. Constanca serves as a gateway to the Romanian market and other southern markets, such as the Hungarian and Austrian ones. Additionally, this port is crucial for transportation between Romania and Ukraine. Undoubtedly, the crisis in the Red Sea and significant restrictions on sailing through the Suez Canal raise questions about how the port will be affected. It is crucial for the terminal's development that the situation stabilizes.
The investments announced for the near future in the development of Romania's transport infrastructure are highly anticipated and necessary for the economy's growth and smooth trade between Asia and Europe. A new port will be built on the Poarta Alba-Midia Navodari canal next year to increase Romania's transit capacity and relieve congestion at the Port of Constanta. The Port of Luminita will be expanded to increase the capacity for goods transported by inland waterway. The two projects will cost more than 200 million lei (around €40 million) and will be funded by the European Union. Additionally, the opening of the 500 km A7 motorway between Constanta and Pașcani will facilitate transport between Romania and Ukraine. Today, we are seeing an increase of commercial inquiries from Ukraine. In the future, Romania and Poland will also play crucial roles as logistics hubs for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Undoubtedly, Romania needs also investment in rail infrastructure to increase port capacity and develop intermodal transportation, which is becoming more popular due to its reduced carbon footprint.
At Rohlig SUUS Logistics, we provide a comprehensive logistics service to our customers (including sea, road, air, rail, and intermodal freight, warehousing, as well as consulting services), so we are very pleased with these investment plans, e.g. rad and sea infrastructure. These improvements will directly increase our operational capabilities in the region.