The transportation logistics infrastructure in Moldova covers the four main shipment options – air, waterway, surface, and rail.
Moldova is strategically located between Ukraine and Romania. Its position at the door of the European Union could make Moldova an interesting logistics hub for the humanitarian community as they envision to rebuild Ukraine. The solidarity lane is one crucial example of the role played by Moldova to import and export goods from and to Ukraine.
The European Investment Bank is massively investing in the country, aspiring to transform its logistical landscape with brand new roads and railway facilitating export and import from and to Moldova.
A few feasibility assessments are currently underway, notably for one dry port which is founded by USAID and a brand-new logistical hub in Chisinau should be finalized within the next 5 years. Also, there is a highway construction project connecting Ungheni to Chisinau which is at the stage of study.
The Ministry of infrastructure is currently working on improving the road networks to comply with the European Union standards which could lead to an interconnection between the EU, Moldova, Ukraine and Armenia.
In terms of warehousing, the industry is currently developing in Chisinau. One example is the Industrialnaya (St 59 in Chisinau) warehouse space of 1200sqm that is used by the humanitarian community. The space is managed with support of DHL and accepts only palletized cargo (150cm height max) with proper shipping documents.
However, the country is lacking sufficient alternatives to road cargo as the airport cargo section is rather small and only exists in Chisnau .
Also, Moldova does not have complete sovereign control of its eastern border, which complicates its ability to oversee trade flows. A breakaway region, Transnistria, or the self-proclaimed Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, occupies a narrow strip of land between the Dniester River and Moldova’s internationally recognized border with Ukraine. Nonetheless, Transnistria has entered into an agreement with Moldova and Ukraine to facilitate movement across both the internationally recognized and self-proclaimed borders.
