The Romanian government, through the state-owned company “Constanta Sea Ports Administration”, has officially completed the acquisition of the operator of the Giurgiulești International Free Port in Moldova. The deal to buy ICS Danube Logistics from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was finalized on April 21.
The port’s location at the confluence of the Prut and Danube rivers makes it a unique transport hub with direct access to the Black Sea. The Romanian side considers this asset as a strategic investment that will allow synchronizing the operation of the facility with the port of Constanta, creating a single powerful logistics hub for Southeastern Europe.
“This is a strategic investment of European importance that will strengthen the role of the region in logistics chains,” emphasized Romanian Minister of Transport Constantin Șerban.
Special attention within the framework of the implementation of the agreement is paid to the Ukrainian direction. The port of Giurgiuleşti is considered one of the key hubs that will directly participate in the future reconstruction of Ukraine. Romania plans to invest heavily in modernizing terminals and expanding road connections between Galati and Giurgiuleşti to ensure uninterrupted cargo traffic.
Built in 2006, the facility currently handles over 70% of Moldova’s waterborne cargo traffic, with capacity to handle oil products, grain and other categories of goods. The Romanian government emphasizes that this step will allow it to compete more effectively in the Black Sea basin and guarantee the reliability of supply routes in the face of complex geopolitical challenges.
In parallel with the strengthening of regional logistics, the improvement of maritime infrastructure directly in Ukraine continues. The International Maritime Organization has launched a project aimed at modernizing Ukrainian ports and bringing them up to international safety and environmental standards, which is critical for the sustainable recovery of the maritime sector.
