Constanta Port Business Association – Activity and Results Report: The Year of 2023 in review
The CONSTANTA PORT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (CPBA) marked a special year in 2023, focusing on strategic initiatives for port development and strengthening the position of the port of Constanța at the international level.
CPBA was a determining force in the evolution of the port of Constanța in 2023, acting in a complex geopolitical context with attention, flexibility and competence in the field of naval transport.
Through strong cohesion between members and effective collaboration with government and port authorities and European bodies (the European Commission and the Danube Commission), CPBA has managed to respond to regional and international geopolitical and economic challenges, contributing to the development of Constanța port and increasing its competitiveness.
CPBA strengthened the position of the port in 2023, being active in major strategic projects, such as port development and modernization, international promotion by organizing the Caspian Sea – Black Sea Forum and in legislative consultation and negotiation actions that interest the activity and smooth running of the agents economy and the port industry in general.
Strategic Projects
Port Development and Modernization
The political conflict in Ukraine has generated an economic potential but also a pressure on the port of Constanta, development and modernization have become imperative. The CPBA proposals for reducing the blockade in the Black Sea area have offered valid solutions, implemented by the authorities, which have responded to the needs of increasing operating capacity and efficiency in services to make effective the UE Solidarity Lane which allowed Ukrainian agricultural products to reach global markets and avoid a food crisis on earth.
As early as 2022, CPBA submitted a project to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure to increase operating capacity, requesting approval of a State Aid Scheme for investments in port superstructure. In 2023, through resilience and synergetic interaction with MTI and EC, CPBA accelerated access to European funds and submission of private projects under the Romanian Transport Programme 2021-2027. These resources will be directed towards the development of port infrastructure and superstructure, with significant impact on the operating capacity and efficiency of port services.
The CPBA has continuously submitted proposals to government and port authorities and the European Commission to optimise processes and eliminate traffic bottlenecks in order to adapt capacity to this year’s record growth in cargo flows.
In response, the year 2023 brought the implementation by the authorities of the CPBA’s proposals to reorganise the port berthing and handling areas for river vessels (relocation of the port mooring area to Cernavodă), modernizing road traffic through digitalization and simplifying processes in the maritime and river transport chain.
Digitalization and Operational Efficiency
CPBA has played a prominent role in the digitization and streamlining of operations, contributing to the optimization of road traffic and the simplification of customs procedures in the transit of goods.
At CPBA’s proposal, the port administrative authority has successfully implemented a management and automation solution for road transport access and monitoring, solving the urgent problem of traffic jams in the port perimeter.
CPBA is actively involved in the digitalization project of the Constanta Port Administration, Port Community System, a necessity for modernization in order to make services more efficient in the port of Constanța continuously signaled by the organization. Participation in the Steering Committee contributes to the development of the necessary specifications for the design of this integral IT system.
Initiatives for Promotion
In April, together with the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Romania, CPBA organized the Caspian Sea – Black Sea Forum for the first time. The event initiated interaction with the states of Central Asia and the South Caucasus and highlighted the potential of the port of Constanța within the global community, in the transport of goods on the Middle Corridor, the route connecting Asia to Europe via Kazakhstan and the Caspian Sea.
CPBA continues its efforts to achieve the objective of promoting opportunities and attracting new flows of goods through the port of Constanța. Participation in the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum international event in Georgia represented a new opportunity to promote and develop global collaboration in the field of multimodal logistics and strengthened the presence of Constanta port and CPBA in the international community.
Legislative Consultation and Negotiation
CPBA carried out multiple actions of consultation, negotiation and proposals to change the regulations regarding the port activity and facilitating the access of non-EU human resources to the labor market.
Human Resource Development and Training
As a co-founding member of the Constanța Harbor School Foundation, CPBA organized, alongside it, consultation sessions with legal authorization bodies and developed legislative proposals and training and professional development programs to respond to the challenges related to the lack of force work in skilled trades.
In 2024, CPBA aims to continue the mission of increasing the competitiveness of the port of Constanța, strengthening partnerships and dynamically adapting to changes in the geopolitical and economic context.
Employer Organization
CONSTANTA PORT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
January 8, 2024