The agreement between the Government of Romania and two companies in Dubai - Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) and DP World - will help modernise and turn the Port of Constanta into one of the Black Sea’s most important cargo and vehicle hubs, the Government of Dubai announced on its official website after the visit paid last week by a delegation of Romanian officials.

The agreement aims to develop a new roll-on/roll-off (RO-RO) terminal to boost cargo vessel traffic at the Port of Constanta, which has become a key gateway for trade into Eastern Europe. It was signed last week by Romania’s transport minister Sorin Grindeanu and the representative of the two companies - Abdulla bin Damithan, CEO & Managing Director, DP World UAE, and Vice-Chairman of PCFC’s Board of Directors.

Roll-on/roll-off (RO-RO) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using a platform vehicle, such as a self-propelled modular transporter. This contrasts lift-on/lift-off (LoLo) vessels, which use a crane to load and unload cargo. In the port of Constanta, there are already two Ro-Ro terminals located in the south, and in the north there is a berth that can host this type of operation.

In addition, DP World is pushing ahead with plans for a new road-rail intermodal terminal in Aiud in Romania, scheduled to be operational in the first half of 2023. The terminal will be linked by rail to Constanta, establishing a new export route for the key Transylvania region in central Romania, which has traditionally lacked a robust infrastructure for exports.

DP World operates a state-of-the-art 1.5 million TEU/year Constanta South Container Terminal (CTST), the largest container terminal on the Black Sea.

andrei@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Mediaoffice.ae)