TransMin Sova signs contract of about 230 million lei to upgrade Constanta port infrastructure

Transport Minister Lucian Sova and Director General of the Constanta National Maritime Port Administration (CNAPM) Nicolae Dan Tivilichi signed a funding contract involving European funds worth almost 230 million lei for upgrading the Constanta port infrastructure, at the company's main offices on Friday.

The value of the investment project "Modernising port infrastructure by deepening the navigable parts and basins and enhancing safety of navigation in the Port of Constanta" amounts to 227,625,944 lei, of which the value of European funds is 140,259,517 lei, or nearly 30.5 million euros, according to a press statement released by CNAPM.

Under the project, the following objectives will be achieved: dredging to level out depth and enhance the safety of navigation in 17 areas of berths, access channels and turning basins; ensuring the stability of wharfs in the port affected by the deepening of the operational port from 7 to 9 metres, the delivery and commissioning of the hydrographic system (including the research vessel) for tracking and calculating dredged volumes in the port.

The implementation period of the project, co-financed with funds from the Cohesion Fund under operational programme large infrastructure 2014-2020, is 61 months, throughout June 30, 2023.

At a press conference hosted by the Maritime Station for the ratification of the financing documents, Sova said that the achievement of the new upgrading objective is due both to sustained efforts of the operational management of CNAPM and to the joint efforts of specialists within the Intermediate Transport Body of the operational programme at the Ministry of Transport, along with those of the port administration.

"This contract lays the cornerstone of the new development stage of the Constanta Port by increasing the depth of operation at piers, which will increase the competitiveness and attractiveness of the port with the freight markets, which will bring additional arguments for the development of new business and investment to the benefit of all. I can see that what has happened in recent years as positive developments in the Constanta Port is totally different from the previous period, when pieces of equipment would be left before the administration office in protest at the port operators' relating with the management of the port. We are now taking concrete steps towards the modernisation of the port and there is an excellent relationship with the port operators and the trade unions as I had the opportunity to notice in direct meetings with them. That sets the premises for a qualitative and qualitative increase in the port activity, to the benefit of both investors and the administration of the port on behalf of the Romanian state, and also of those who work directly," Sova said.

In his turn, CNAPM Constanta Director General Dan Tivilichi, said that it is the first time since the construction of the modern port when dredging investments are being made to obtain greater depths of navigation and pier operations, which will attract new types of gross tonnage ships.

"It was absolutely necessary for this investment in dredging to develop the Ro-Ro vessel transport activity, with the main beneficiaries being the Romanian motor vehicle manufacturers, and it is worth noting that this is for the first time since the construction of the new, modern port. Removing the underwater obstacles left behind from the construction of the southern area of the Constanta Port, which currently hinders ship access to the projected depths of the docks in operation, such as piers 84-88 and piers 64-67, where large cereals shipping companies operate, will also be attempted. Also, we will eliminate all the submerged natural obstacles. At the same time, we will increase the operational depths from seven to nine meters in the operational port, that is to say in the southern area of the Constanta Port, from the Agigea lock of the Danube-Black Sea Canal," said Tivilichi.

According to him, works on the new investment project will start by the end of this year. AGERPRES (RO - authors: Nona Jalba, Dan Mihaescu, editor: Marius Fratila; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)