DP World Constanta granted €38 million to transform into a global trade hub

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DP World has received a €38 million ($40.5 million) grant from the Ministry of Transport in Romania and the European Union to transform its Constanta terminal into global trade hub.

The significant investment in DP World Constanta, which has become one of the Black Sea’s “most important” cargo and vehicle ports, will allow it to become a multimodal facility that can offer key trade for goods moving in and out of Europe while also advancing the development of critical transport infrastructure in Romania. 

Three large scale expansion projects are now underway at DP World facilities in Romania as the global trade enabler is also developing a new Ro-Ro terminal at Constanta, while its new multimodal Aiud terminal in the northwest of the country aims to enable a greater flow of trade to neighbouring countries and across the continent.

The combined projects are expected to increase the cargo flows by around 1 million tonnes per annum, beginning in Q3 this year. 

The transformation of DP World’s Romanian portfolio is the latest in a series of terminal expansions by the firm.

The aim of this expansion is to ramp up its efforts so that there will be an increase capacity across Europe as customers look for faster, more resilient solutions amid rising inflation, increased cost of living and geopolitical uncertainties causing concern about global trade. 

READ: DP World finalises $260 million Vancouver port expansion 

DP World has initiated port expansion programmes at six of its 11 major terminals across the continent over the past year. Projects at Antwerp (Belgium), Novi Sad (Serbia), Aiud (Romania), and London Gateway (UK) continued at pace last year while the newer projects at Constanta (Romania) and Yarimca (Turkey) will begin to take shape in the year ahead. 

The expansion work at Antwerp World Gateway is part of a DP World’s €200 million ($213 million) investment, which will boost annual throughput and help cut carbon emissions.

At London Gateway, £350 million ($432 million) is being invested in a new fourth berth at its coordination hub, helping to boost the local economy, bolster supply chain resilience and increase capacity to accommodate the world’s largest vessels. 

READ: DP World installs photovoltaic panels at London Gateway 

On the other side of the continent, DP World has commenced construction of a new container terminal, vertical quay, and silo in the Port of Novi Sad to support the Serbian agricultural industry.  

Alongside the physical expansion, the projects also focus on digitalisation – implementing innovative technology such as Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and modern Terminal Operating Systems, which will further increase capacity by automating and streamlining operations within each port, thereby enabling greater flow of trade and more efficient processes for customers. 

READ: APICA: The Digital Twin Solution Transforming the Port of Antwerp-Bruges

As John Woollacott, Head of Ports & Terminals for DP World Europe, described: “Our expansion programme is reimagining how ports and terminals serve the broader supply chain.” 

Woollacott believes that to keep up with growing demand for more goods over shorter timescales, its ports need to be more than just cargo handlers – they need to empower the broader supply chain and work in tandem with them.  

“When action happens at a port, it should streamline the end-to-end process, not add another costly step to it, and digitalisation will play a fundamental role in this strategy,” Wollacott added. 

By introducing automated equipment and smarter ways of working, DP World expects to significantly boost its handling capacity within the same physical footprint.  

Furthermore, automised equipment powered by electricity replaces fossil fuelled equipment, thus cutting CO2 emissions for DP World and its clients drastically. 

The overall value of the redevelopment project at Constanta is €52.9 million ($56 million), of which the European Union is co-financing €31.3 million ($33.3 million).  

This month, DP World’s latest environmental social and governance (ESG) report presented how the company had cut direct carbon emissions from its global operations by 5 per cent in 2022. 

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