Romania's Constanta port reported record grain exports in 2023, driven in part by a surge in supplies from Ukraine, Reuters reported, citing port authorities.
The total traffic of goods through the port amounts to 92.5 million tons in 2023, which is 22.5% more compared to the year, the port administration announced.
The port, located on the Black Sea, exported 36 million tonnes of grain last year, an increase of 50% year-on-year, the port authority told Reuters. Ukraine is noted to account for 14 million tonnes, or nearly 40% of the record total.
The Romanian government, which signed an agreement in August to increase grain exports from Ukraine through Romanian ports, said it plans to increase Ukrainian grain export capacity to 4 million tons per month.
Ukraine has been looking for every possible way to export its agricultural goods since Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2023. For almost a year, the grain deal allowed Ukrainian grain shipments to pass safely on the Black Sea.
After withdrawing from the agreement, Russia began bombing Ukrainian grain assets in the country's Black Sea ports and along the Danube River. Since then, Ukraine has created a shipping corridor that runs along the coast near Romania and Bulgaria, allowing it to export about 10 million tons of agricultural products since August, according to the Ukrainian government.
Romania aims to increase its transit capacity for Ukrainian grain to 4 million tons per month and is currently upgrading rail and road infrastructure in and around the port.
On Wednesday, the port announced that EU-funded investment projects in and around Constanta, finalized last year and continuing through 2024, totaled 546.8 million euros ($598.47 million). More projects worth an additional 218 million euros are expected, the announcement said.
In December, Transport Minister Sorin Grindeanu said an EU-funded project to provide round-the-clock navigation on the Sulina Canal on the Danube, which reaches Constanta, was completed and would become operational pending staff training.
The total traffic of goods through the port amounts to 92.5 million tons in 2023, which is 22.5% more compared to the year, the port administration announced.
The port, located on the Black Sea, exported 36 million tonnes of grain last year, an increase of 50% year-on-year, the port authority told Reuters. Ukraine is noted to account for 14 million tonnes, or nearly 40% of the record total.
The Romanian government, which signed an agreement in August to increase grain exports from Ukraine through Romanian ports, said it plans to increase Ukrainian grain export capacity to 4 million tons per month.
Ukraine has been looking for every possible way to export its agricultural goods since Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2023. For almost a year, the grain deal allowed Ukrainian grain shipments to pass safely on the Black Sea.
After withdrawing from the agreement, Russia began bombing Ukrainian grain assets in the country's Black Sea ports and along the Danube River. Since then, Ukraine has created a shipping corridor that runs along the coast near Romania and Bulgaria, allowing it to export about 10 million tons of agricultural products since August, according to the Ukrainian government.
Romania aims to increase its transit capacity for Ukrainian grain to 4 million tons per month and is currently upgrading rail and road infrastructure in and around the port.
On Wednesday, the port announced that EU-funded investment projects in and around Constanta, finalized last year and continuing through 2024, totaled 546.8 million euros ($598.47 million). More projects worth an additional 218 million euros are expected, the announcement said.
In December, Transport Minister Sorin Grindeanu said an EU-funded project to provide round-the-clock navigation on the Sulina Canal on the Danube, which reaches Constanta, was completed and would become operational pending staff training.
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