Port Overview

The port of Constanta and its ports - public-private maritime ports owned by the Romanian State which is responsible for their regulation and function. The National Company "Maritime Ports Administration" S.A. Constantza (MPA) is a company under the authority of the Ministry of Transports and Infrastructure. Within the Port of Constanta the maritime and cargo related services are mainly carried out by private companies in a competitive environment, applying the free market principles. The Commission in charge to coordinate for the movement of maritime and river vessels in Constanta.

Port website: https://www.portofconstantza.com/pn/en/home

Port Picture

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

DPW is dealing with containers only, contact details: Raluca Daraban (Raluca.darban@dpw.com)

DB  working with bulk cargo, contact person: Catalin Vecerdea (catalin.vecerdea@dbschenker.com)

SCS works with bulk cargo and containerized cargo, contact person: Daniel Girleanu (daniel.girleanu@scs.ro)

MAERSK deals with vessels and empty containers, contact person: Lucian Motatu (Lucian.motatu@maersk.com).

List of all the registered companies to work inside the port can be found via this link: https://www.portofconstantza.com/pn/en/firma

Port Performance

Cargo throughput at the port of Constanta: 

https://www.portofconstantza.com/pn/page/np_statistici_port

Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges

150 EUR/Container. Port basic tariffs for services provided by C.N. A.P.M. S.A. Constanta on the account of the Romanian and foreign flagged vessels in the ports under its administration - valid as from January 1st, 2022 can be found via the following link:

Berthing Specifications

Vessel Depth

General Cargo Handling Berths

Port Handling Equipment

Container Facilities

Customs Guidance

Documents needed for customs clearance:

• Certificate of Analysis
• Commercial Invoice
• Bill of Lading
• Proforma Invoice

In addition to these documents, for food, there should be also:

• Certificate of Origin
• Crop Year
• Best Used
• Phytosanitary
• Fumigation Certificate
• Health Certificate.

Clearing agent presents the above-mentioned documents and discharging permit to the customs authority. Customs will check the papers and give the green light to start discharging the vessel. Inspection will start. Upon clearing with customs, the agent proceeds to settle port charges and release consignment with other regulatory authorities. Once completed, then the liner will give the order to pick up the containers (release order). Here the customer (not the liner) should go to the customs to finalize the clearing process.

Terminal Information

Multipurpose Terminal

General cargo from PL1-PL6, then 110-120.

RoRo from 121-122.

Containers from 123-135

The main operator for this is DPW.

Grain and Bulk Handling

Available at the North port.

Main Storage Terminal

The port is backed up with storage facilities located inside the port. 

Stevedoring

Stevedoring activities in port constitute discharge and loading activities for containerized, loose/break bulk, bulk liquid grain etc. The port authority offers all stevedoring activities except for bulk grain and liquid discharge/loading activities where specific operators have been licensed to offer the service. 

Hinterland Information

Goods are only released out of port after payment of all port dues, customs duties and when they meet other import conditions ascertained by other Government regulatory agencies. Exit from port and onwards into the hinterland is by rail, road and barges (river). There is more reliance on deliveries by road over 55%, 35% by rail, and 10% by barges. In order to speed up evacuation from port to deter demurrage and punitive port storage charges, cargo is also shunted ex-port by trucks onto warehouses or transit yards out of port from where it is then dispatched either by road or rail to its final destination in the hinterland.

Rail connection, each terminal is connected to the domestic and national/European railway network (Pan European Transport Corridor IV). Permanent railway services ensure the transport of large volumes of freight to the most important economic areas in Romania and Eastern Europe, and the Port of Constanţa represents an important transportation hub of the TRACECA Corridor. The rail network in the Port of Constanța is connected to the Romanian and European rail network, with the Port of Constanţa being a starting and terminus point for Corridor IV, a Pan-European corridor. The corridor IV follows the route: Dresden/Nuremberg –Prague– Vienna–Bratislava–Győr–Budapest–Arad–Bucharest–Constanţa/ Craiova–Sofia –Pernik Thessaloniki or Plovdiv–Istanbul.

Road connection, each terminal is connected to the domestic and national/European road network. The 10 gates of the Port of Constanţa are well connected to the national and European road network. The connection to the Pan-European Transport Corridor IV (road and railway) and the proximity to the Pan-European Corridor IX (road) passing through Bucharest are of strategic importance, thus linking Constanţa Port with countries without sea access in Central and Eastern Europe. The total length of roads in the port amounts to 100 km. The highway A2 connects Port of Constanţa with national road network. A2/A4 from Bucharest/Constanta coming directly to Agigea port.

Port Security

• New electronic surveillance equipment including CCTV updated on 2020.
• A fully fledged police station within the port headed by an Officer Commanding Police Division/OCPD Port.
• Coastguard surveillance of waters in port area
• Plain-clothes and uniformed security officers on patrol in port areas
• Strict controls on port entry with all port users and visitors required to weigh reflector jackets when accessing the quayside.
• Continuously manned watch towers in car handling area and container terminal
• A rapid response team to deal with urgent security matters in or near the port area
• A centralized verification area at the container terminal, car handling area and the CFS
• Physical and electronic operated Barriers at port gates to deter forced entry and ensure proper security checks.
• Random targeting of import and export containers for scanning without stripping – thus helping to reduce pilferage.

Airport Overview

Suceava International Airport is the first Romanian airport that accessed European funds for modernisation. The airport has signed a financing contract for €39 million. The rehabilitation programme has finished and the airport’s infrastructure is modernised. On 25 October the first flights operated from the new airport. The geographical location places Suceava Airport in the heart of northern historical Moldavia by making it The Gateway to Bukovina.

Airport Picture

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

For more information on airport contacts and service providers, please see the following link: https://www.aeroportsuceava.ro/en/

Runways

Helicopter Pad(s) 

The airport has a helicopter pad, but it is currently not authorized to be used. However, the parking space is sufficient for helicopter landing  

Airport Infrastructure Details 

The airport is located in the north-eastern part of Romania, 12 kilometres away from Suceava city centre, in Salcea town. It has excellent public transport access and close connections to Suceava and Botosani cities. Suceava “Ștefan cel Mare" Airport  (IATA: SCV, ICAO: LRSV) is located in the northeastern part of Romania, in Salcea town, at 12 km East from Suceava City and 30,5 km from Botosani City. The access it`s possible through a 3 km long road which connects the two cities to the airports facilities. ARP coordinates and site are at AD 474115N 0262114E. 

Passenger Performance Indicator

In 2019, the airport has handled 430,000 passengers (in 2021, despite the Covid19, there have been an average of 60,000 passengers/month).

Airport Operating Details

Storage Facilities

There is no storage facilities in the airport. The nearest storage facility is located 400m from the airport and currently being used by the Civil Protection authorities as a logistics hub for the Ukrainian crisis response (EU Hub).

Cargo Handling

There is no cargo handling company nor equipment. Cargo handling services can be separately contracted should the airport be used to receive cargo flights. Notification should be provided prior to cargo flights scheduling.

Overview

Website of the Romanian Railway

Căile Ferate Române as the CFR is the state railway carrier of Romania. As of 2014, the railway network of Romania consists of 10,777 km (6,697 mi), of which 4,029 km (2,504 mi) (37.4%) are electrified. The total track length is 22,247 km (13, 824 mi), of which 8,585 km (5,334 mi) (38.5%) are electrified. The CIA World Factbook lists Romania with the 23rd largest railway network in the world. The network is significantly interconnected with other European railway networks, providing pan-European passenger and freight services. CFR as an entity has been operating since 1880, even though the first railway on current Romanian territory was opened in 1854. CFR is divided into four autonomous companies:

• CFR Călători, responsible for passenger services;
• CFR Marfă, responsible for freight transport;
• CFR Infrastructură or CFR S.A., manages the infrastructure on the Romanian railway network; and
• Societatea Feroviară de Turism, or SFT, which manages scenic and tourist railways.

CFR is headquartered in Bucharest and has regional divisions centered in Bucharest, Brașov, Cluj-Napoca, Constanța, Craiova, Galați, Iași, and Timișoara. Its International Union of Railways code is 53-CFR.

Romania is linked by rail with all neighboring countries.

Same gauge:

• Bulgaria
• Hungary
• Serbia

Break-of-gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)/1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in):

• Ukraine
• Moldova

Railway Companies and Consortia

The network used to be operated by Căile Ferate Române, the state railway company, but since 1998, a number of private companies have begun operations in passenger and/or freight transport.

The full list of Passenger Operators and contact details can be found here.

Freight Services

Freight services in Romania are operated mostly by CFR Marfă, the freight division of CFR, as well as by 28 other private companies who operate on lines leased from CFR Infrastructure. The CFR Marfă fleet is made up of 987 locomotives, most of which were built in Romania or the former Yugoslavia. The full list of Cargo Operators and contact details can be found here.

Service Infrastructure Tarif System

Official tarif system applicable on Romanian railways can be found here.

Official tarif system for CFR can be found here.

Capacity Table

Electric Locomotives

Most of the electric locomotives employed by CFR were built by Electroputere Craiova (known as EA-type) and Rade Končar Zagreb (known as EC-type). All are built for standard gauge (1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)) and run using a catenary wire at 50 Hz 25 kV AC. All trains have electric heating. CFR owns 1,066 electric locomotives, 933 of which were built by Electroputere (Class 40, 41, 42) and 133 built by Končar (Class 43, 44, 46).

Diesel Locomotives

CFR's diesel locomotives have been built by Electroputere Craiova (classes 60 to 68) and FAUR Bucharest (classes 69 to 95).

Classes 60 and 62 have as prime mover a twin-bank cylinder Sulzer 12LDA28 diesel engine rated at 2100 hp@750rpm, being derated from its nominal power by a smaller turbocharger and a lower max rpm. The difference between classes 60 and 62 is that the class 62 features traction motors certified and capable of pulling passenger coaches at 120 km/h instead of the 100 km/h allowed for class 60.

Classes 63 and 65 are modified by replacing Sulzer engines with 2 stroke 8 cylinders EMD 8-710G which develop 2150 hp at crankshaft at 900 rpm, the generators were replaced with alternators and DC traction motors were replaced with new ones. Class 63 has a max speed of 120 km/h while class 65 is limited to 100 km/h. 63 and 65 are in service for CFR Călători only for passenger coaches' traction. 63 and 65 do not feature Dynamic Braking Systems available in North America.

Key Internal Route Information

Key Cargo Stations

Romanian railways have been used for goods importation heavily during the communist era, which have made the main stations accessible for Cargo and Passenger movement as well. The stations reported below are the main stations for Cargo handling. The table below also informs on the possibility to use them for Passenger transport should it be required. Full list of Cargo handling adapted stations can be found here.

All stations marked as I Grade can accommodate up to 20 wagon trains (combination of both 20ft and 40ft).

It is highly recommended to use freight forwarders / commercial rail operators to move cargo by train through Romania and into neighbouring countries. Typically, the operator will inform on best way to setup the loading and unloading, as well as calculate the most efficient routes for the desired destination.

Full list of storage capacity, service providers, loading and unloading capacity and contact information is available here.

Key Rail Border Crossing Information

Travel Time Matrix

The travel times are estimated on Passenger train travel times, as they usually have priority on Romanian railways. For cargo transportation, a considerable delay from the data reported in the below table (in hours) is to be expected.

Port Capacity and Intermodal Transportation Information

Technical details on all Romanian ports, their intermodal operability and link to Railway Infrastructure can be found here.

Additional Information and Normative Guidance

Additional information and normative guidance on access to the National Railway Infrastructure can be found here.