27 April 2007
Over 1 million TEU operated in 2006 by Constantza Port, the main containers hub at Black Sea
Constantza Port continued in its role as Black Sea hub in 2006 even if the total cargo traffic came to 57,131,628 tonnes, showing a slight decrease of 5%, compared with the 2005 traffic figure.
An important rise in total cargo traffic was sustained by the cargo transit registered in 2006, which was up by 48.5%, from 8,637,543 tonnes in 2005 to 12,828,599 tonnes in 2006. This growth mainly concerned maritime transit which reached 8,981,946 tonnes increasing by 89% compared with 4,742,795 tonnes in 2005. River transit also grew by 1.23%.
The container traffic witnessed a boost of 34.5% overpassing 1 million teu. The positive result was of 1,037,068 teu in 2006, compared with 771,126 teu in 2005. In terms of tonnage the volume of containers handled in Constantza Port was 9,815,758 tonnes, up by 31.86% compared with 2005 (7,443,779 tonnes).
The following groups of cargo showed a positive final result at the end of 2006:
- cereals - 7,171,556 tonnes, up by 19.33% (1,161,671 tonnes) compared with 2005;
- live stock, sugar beet - 40,784 tonnes, up by 47% (20,953 tonnes) compared with 2005;
- miscellaneous - 9,978,988 tonnes, up by 28.72% (2,226,349 tonnes) compared with 2005;
- cellulose and waste paper - 9,201 tonnes, up by 69.10% (3,760 tonnes) compared with 2005;
- leather, textiles, clothes - 6.197 tonnes, up by 441.70% (5,053 tonnes) compared with 2005;
- seeds, vegetal oils and fats - 877,076 tonnes, up by 93.33% (423,417 tonnes) compared with 2005;
- chemical products of coal - 410,149 tonnes, up by 62.35% (157,524 tonnes) compared with 2005.
The slight fall in total traffic mainly concerned the decrease of river traffic during the period of analysis of 15.2% from 2005 to 2006, from 14,138,298 tonnes to 11,983,904 tonnes. Maritime traffic also experienced a small decrease of 2.9%, from 46,493,439 tonnes in 2005 to 45,147,724 tonnes in 2006.
The import sector registered a drop of 11% in 2006 from the level in 2005, from 20,466,499 tonnes to 23,119,984 tonnes. The export came to 15,829,230 tonnes, meaning a small decrease of 15% compared with 18,729,989 tonnes in 2005. The cabotage was down by 21%, from 10,144,221 tonnes in 2005, to 8,007,350 tonnes in 2006.
Last year, the following groups of cargo registered traffic falls:
- iron ores, iron & steel scrap, blast-furnace cinder - traffic was down by 31.33 % compared with 2005;
- metal products – traffic was down by 32.63% compared with 2005;