British news outlet Reuters highlights that an increase in Romania’s grain output this year may mean less room for Ukrainian shipments looking to go through Constanta, the Romanian port that became a major hub for Ukraine since the Russian invasion.

Ukraine is one of the world's leading grain and oilseed exporters, but its shipments have been blockaded by Russian warships since the start of the invasion in February 2022, and negotiations have been difficult and slow. To reach markets, Ukrainian grain has had to find alternative shipping routers through its neighboring states. One of the preferred routes has been through Romania.

Romania's Constanta Port handled 24.01 million tons of grain exports overall last year. Freight traffic is up 10% in Q1 of 2023 as well.

“Even after a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey at the end of July gave Ukraine access to three of its Black Sea ports, Romania's Constanta remains its biggest alternative shipping route,” the Reuters article says.

It also cites representatives of Constanta port operator Comvex, who say that bigger Romanian crops may mean less room for Ukraine’s, since local operators will not bring prejudice to their traditional clients.

Romania, one of the EU's biggest grain producers, is expected to see crop yields improve from last year. To handle more shipments, port representatives and shipment operators say they need investments in a unified IT system that could handle congestion.

radu@romania-insider.com

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