Romanian seaports report record 2021 freight traffic

Romanian seaports have reported a total freight traffic in 2021 of 67.5 million tonnes, up 11.77% on 60.3 million tonnes in 2020, a record high in the freight traffic history of Romanian seaports, the Constanta National Seaport Administration Corporation (CNAPM) reported on Wednesday, Agerpres reports.

Previous record high traffic was 62.3 million tonnes in 1988, 61.8 million tonnes in 2008, and 66.6 million tonnes in 2019.

Cereals accounted for the largest share of the freight traffic.

"In the total traffic, the largest share, of 37.3%, is held by cereals, followed by crude oil at 10%, miscellaneous articles at 9.2%, petroleum products at 8.1%, iron ore and waste at 7.1%, natural and chemical fertilisers at 6.1%, and solid mineral fuels at 5.1%," according to CNAPM Constanta Director Florin Goidea.

Of total traffic, 76% was maritime traffic and 24% is inland traffic. Both maritime and inland traffic increased significantly. Maritime traffic increased by 13.44%, to 51.62 million tonnes, while inland traffic was up 6.7% to 15.86 million tonnes from 2020.

According to the source, grain traffic in 2021 reached an absolute record of 25.17 million tonnes, as against 21.9 million tonnes in 2020, the highest grain traffic recorded that consolidate the position of Constanta port as a European grain hub.

Significant increases in traffic were also recorded in the following groups of freight: crude oil, petroleum products, solid mineral fuels, metal products, ores, and oilseeds.

Decreases in traffic were mainly in fertilisers, chemicals, and paper and pulp waste. There was also a decrease in container traffic, namely 6.16 million tonnes in 2021 as against 6.34 million tonnes in 2020. The same was true for TEUs: 631,964 in 2021 as against 643,727 in 2020.

"As many as 14,604 ships stopped over at Romanian seaports in 2021, compared with 14,380 ships in 2020. In the port of Constanta, Constanta area, the freight traffic recorded in 2021 was 61.2 million tonnes, versus 53.84 million tonnes in 2020. In the port of Constanta, Midia area, the freight traffic of 2021 was 6 million tonnes, as against 6.15 million tonnes in 2020, and in the port of Mangalia, the 2021 freight traffic was 338,472 tonnes as against 366,445 tonnes in 2020."