ESPO proclaimed Constantza as port of the month for July 2016. The port of Constantza has a rich history. It functions as an important hub in the region and offers a wide variety of services.
The ports’ history dates back to the 6th century BC, yet the port’s modern period started in October 1896 under King Carol I, when the first grain silos were built and linked by rail to the rest of Romania. Nowadays, intermodal facilities link the port to seven countries and more than 50 million inhabitants. The port has a natural connection with the Danube Basin through the Danube-Black Sea Canal.
The port is fully intermodal, offering transport possibilities by road, rail, IWW, a pipe network and air cargo. IWW represents about 25% of throughput, road represents about 35% and rail approximately 30%.
The Port of Constantza’s theoretical capacity is about 90 million tons p.a., which is based on 140 berths (32 km of key walls), with natural depths of 19 meter and modern equipment.
Additionally, the port has ample space for expansion by land reclamation (up to 1,000 ha) within its existing breakwaters.
The main challenge of the port is to continuously adapt to larger ships and new types of cargo by upgrading existing port facilities to the level needed as a TEN-T core port. The Administration is therefore proactively pursuing new links with the Caspian region in order to attract new cargo flows as well as new types of cargo.
Constantza’s main environmental policies
The already accepted CEF project “Protect” includes the building of an on-shore ship waste collection facility, which together with 5 modern multipurpose vessels for different environmental tasks, will bring Constantza at the same foot with other ports of similar size.
“We have already prepared the “Constantza Green Port Project” to be submitted to the next CEF Call. The project is aimed at developing a permanent environmental management system that will decrease the negative impact of port activities.
“In parallel, we are negotiating with strategic investors concerning several recycling projects and the production of green energy, of which the port will be the main buyer.” said the port
Source & Image credit: ESPO