Fewer boat trips in the Delta this summer season

Navrom Delta SA, the only company in Tulcea county that provides subsidized shipping for cargo and passengers, has fewer trips this tourist season than last year's summer season, under the budget provided by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (MTI), Executive Director of the company Nicolae Chichi told AGERPRES.

He mentioned that the reduction in the number of trips was made in the context in which the amounts provided by the MTI for transport activity on the three arms of the Danube remained at the same level as last year, but the price of fuel increased.

"If last year on the Tulcea-Sulina route and return route, we had 14 trips per week, their number has been reduced to 10 per week. The most critical point is the Sfantu Gheorghe-Tulcea route, where last year we had six trips per week, and now we have only three trips per week, which is very little for tourists. On the Chilia arm, given that there is another mode of transport, i.e. road, even if we have to cross by ferry to Tulcea, instead of four trips we have three," executive director Chichi stated.

The most important trip that has disappeared is the fastest one which daily offered tourists the possibility to leave Sulina around 13:00hrs, after they vacated their rooms, according to the source.

"This trip was very important. We're only doing three of these runs now. For example, last weekend, at 13:30hrs, we had 190 passengers on the route that left Sulina," director Chichi mentioned.

In his opinion, the Tulcea-Periprava route, on the Chilia arm of the Danube, should also be provided with additional vessels.

"The people of Periprava need to be highly mobile. Periprava is the most isolated area, in my opinion, and there are the people with the greatest needs of the entire Danube Delta. It is very difficult to get there. Periprava is still not well connected to other localities and we have some important villages there Rosetti, Periprava, Letea. It is very difficult for tourists to reach that area and I think that area should be developed. I believe that if we have a regular transport more often on this route, the area will also develop properly," the director of the shipping company in the Delta also said.