The Port of Constanta

Port of Constanta: The Harbor to the Romanian Coast

The Constanta port (constantza port) is a major Romania port and the Black Sea's largest. Due to its economic significance, it is regarded Romania's most important asset, since it is established on the west coast of the Black Sea and in the Southeastern part of the country.

It also directs cargo traffic and cargo ships' routes since it is linked to the Agigea lock. Cargo vessels or bulk carrier are only allowed to enter the port as they are used to carrying tons of cargo.

Its large covered area and its modern dockyards connected to the petroleum fields of Ploiesti by pipeline makes it the biggest and main port in the country.

The Maritime Ports Administration

Currently, the port is under administration by the Maritime Ports Administration (APM Constanta) of Romania. The head office for the organization is located in the International Free Zone at the port. It was originally a Roman harbor called "Constantia" after Roman Emperor Octavian Augustus, which became a Roman town named "Constanța" during his reign. It's been going since 27 BC when it was founded as a Roman harbor named Constantia.

The Constanta port is Romania's primary seaport. It links international trade, especially to eastern European countries. It has a wide range of services like loading a variety of cargo including dry and liquid substances, containers, general and project cargo, as well as Ro-Ro and passengers. The port has the ability to handle 18 million tons (30%) of the country's port cargo.

The entrance to the city is guarded by a magnificent lighthouse, and breakwaters keep it safe from the north wind. However, there is also a south wind that is hazardous for those who reside there. There is a harbor located on the port's quay (jetty), which runs east-west for about 1 km and north-south for approximately 300 m, with two fuel jetties to the east and west of the oil terminal, each 450 m long.

The Port's Location

The port of Constanta and the port of Agigea are both Romanian ports which are located in the county of Constanta. Currently, it has 500,000 inhabitants, which currently reside. Most of them are Romanians, yet there are foreigners like Ukrainians and Russians too. The county had resulted from the influence of rich history and architecture by multiple cultures.

The port is located in the Y-shaped (Y-44) peninsula of Lake Mandrău, which divides it into two nearly equal parts. The harbor and the Oil/Olița port area on the Western side, while the eastern one is a terminal for oil and olița.

While the Agigea port is considered a medium port, the port of Constanta is an enormous port that covers an area of about 180 hectares, 150 of which are the port's harbor, and 30 is the oil terminal. The port has three main basins, with the North-West Basin reaching a depth of up to 7 meters and the Port's Harbor able to accommodate vessels over 30.000 tonnes. The South-East Basin is 9 m deep, and the Port's Harbor can handle vessels weighing up to 50.000 tonnes. An inner port for pontoons and small boats with a depth of 3 meters also exists at the site.

Port of Constanta: The Business Destination

Constanta Port is both a seaport and a river port. Every day, over 200 river ships access the harbor for loading or unloading cargo or waiting to be utilized. The Danube-Black Sea Canal, which links the Danube River with the Black Sea, is one of Constanta Port's major assets.

Danube-Black Sea Canal

The Danube-Black Sea Canal is the primary route for vessels to enter the Danube waterway. Through the Danube waterway, vessels can travel quickly from Constanta to Bucharest, and from Bucharest to southern Germany. Imagine the total traffic of vessels that the Danube waterway holds per day.

General Information about Port of Constanta

• Constanta is Romania's second-largest locality, located on the Black Sea coast in the extreme south of the country. It is one of Romania's major ports on the Black Sea shore and serves as a major transportation hub for containerized cargo. The port has an area of 45 square kilometers, including port facilities and the free zone.

• The harbor has a significant container port, which is the largest in Romania. It serves as a critical node in the worldwide maritime transport network since it has road and railway connections with all Romanian provinces. With an annual capacity of 850,000 TEU containers (TEU=20ft equivalent unit), the terminal is a vital link in global shipping networks.

• The port has a significant rail station that linked the facility to petroleum refineries in Ploiesti and Bucharest, as well as other key Romanian cities.

• The port of Constanta was able to assist Romania in increasing exports. It has important trade routes that lead into Central Asia and other areas, allowing Romania to grow the number of its shipments in these zones. The port also permitted significant vessels to use it as a major trading node within Europe.