Turkish company UN Ro-Ro has opened a ferry freight transport line between Constanta harbor in Romania and Pendik port in Istanbul, Turkey, as part of the plans to develop the long-term business, according to the company.

After a meeting in February between the Romanian Minister of Transport, Anca Boagiu with her Turkish counterpart, Binali Yildirim, the ports administration of Constanta and Pendik have signed a cooperation protocol on opening regular transport lines on the Black Sea. The two parts will also consider opening a passenger line between Romania and Turkey, according to Anca Boagiu.

UN Ro-Ro company owns 13 transportation ships, 11 sailing under the Turkish flag and two under the British flag. The company was founded in 1994 and was acquired in 2007 by the investment fund Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. UN Ro-Ro aims to increase the number of shipments made, to nearly 700 this year and 1,000 next year, from 509 in 2010.

Irina Popescu,irina.popescu@romania-insider.com