Transport Minister participates in conference about role of Constanta Port and Danube for European economy

Romania can have a significant role in realizing a modern transport system, at European level, and Constanta Port is important for increasing the efficiency of the European transport system, by encouraging trade development, both intra-community and extra-community, Transport Minister Lucian Sova, considers. 

The Transport head took part in Brussels in a high level conference, titled "Constanta Port - multi-modal hub for regional development and strategic partners of Danube ports", about the role of Constanta Port and the Danube for the European economy, according to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Thursday. 

Discussions aimed the development of a modern and sustainable transport system, considering that navigating on the Danube represents one of the cleanest alternatives and is crucial to implementing objectives that are related to multi-modality. In his address during the conference, Minister Lucian Sova talked about developing the Romanian sector of the Danube. 

During the event a collaboration protocol was signed, between Constanta Port and Anaklia, in Georgia, a document that oversees the development of freight transport, through revitalizing direct connections between Romania and Georgia. Romania and Georgia represent a bridge between Europe and Asia, through the Black Sea. 

Investments in Constanta Port, contained in Romania's General Transportation Master Plan are estimated to be around 1 billion euro, and the most important ones consist in streamlining port infrastructure, realizing specialized berths in an area of high depths, developing railway capabilities in Constanta South Port - Agigea, doubling the Agigea Ecluza - Constanta South port railway and the systematization of the connection point of Agigea Ecluza, the construction of the LNG terminal on the southern dig of the port, the construction of the RO-RO terminal for vehicles, raising the navigation capacity on the Danube on the Pristol - Calarasi, Calarasi - Braila and Danube Channel - Black Sea sectors. 

Constanta Port is the host of the largest container terminal in the Black Sea and is strategically placed at the mouth end of the Danube - Black Sea Channel, but also on the "Silk Road". 

The high level conference was organized by the Administration of Maritime Ports of Constanta and ProDanube International, alongside with Member of the European Parliament Claudia Tapardel. The event was attended by representatives of the European Parliament, as well as of the European Commission, and also representatives of the port industry, of transportation on interior waterway and economic associations.