Trade between Romania and Serbia on a rise - Serbian business partners of Constantza Port meet in Novi Sad

George Gabriel Visan

This year, the city of Novi Sad was again the host of Constantza Port; on September 26, at Master Congress Centre, took place the seventh edition of "Constantza Port Day", an event that has become traditional in the region, organized by the National Company “Maritime Ports Administration” SA Constantza.

Over 200 delegates from Serbia and Romania, but also from Croatia, Bosnia and Hertzegovina, Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, Germany and France attended the event this year. The business partners in the region of Constantza Port, businessmen interested in the opportunities offered by the Romanian maritime ports, local authorities, already known but also potential partners were present. The most important ports on the Sava, Tisa and Danube in Serbia and the neighboring countries were represented.

Nemanja Vukcevic represented the Novi Sad Local Council at the event and reiterated the support of the local authorities for the development of the economic relations with the port of Constantza.

This year, for the first time, NC “Maritime Ports Administration” SA Constantza awarded two Serbian companies with growing business in the port of Constantza: MK Commerce - grain trader and Elixir Group, a company which currently carries out a contract for the transport of about 3 million tonnes of ores to China through Constantza. The port of Novi Sad was also awarded for the cooperation carried out so far.

By organizing the event “Constantza Port Day in Serbia”, the National Company “Maritime Ports Administration” S.A. Constantza aims to facilitate the direct meetings between existing and potential Romanian and Serbian business partners, thus supporting those interested in expanding their business through the port of Constantza.

The Commercial Director of Constantza Port, George Gabriel Vişan, stated that the statistics indicate that the traffic of goods between Romania and Serbia, through the port of Constantza, registered significant increases from 2007 to present, as well as the number of Serbian companies located in the port of Constantza.

Besides, the evolution of the traffic of goods between the port of Constantza and the Serbian ports represents an important sign that says a lot about the potential of collaboration between the two parties.

Vladimir Todorovic, CEO of the Elixir Group

In 2012, the total traffic of goods was of 6,253,126 tonnes, of which 2,214,561 tonnes for maritime traffic and 4,038,565 tonnes for river traffic. In the first seven months of this year, the increasing trend of the traffic of goods is strong, reaching 4,109,261 tonnes, compared to 3,776,015 tonnes for the same period of the last year. The river traffic is 53.5% of the total traffic with Serbia registered this year.

As regards the traffic by commodities, the iron ores, scrap are the most important ones, with more than 3 million tonnes, followed by cereals (490,207 tonnes), fertilizers (237,426 tonnes), metal products (127,796 tonnes).

The economic counselor of the Romanian Embassy in Belgrade, Patricia Răduţ, emphasized the importance of the port of Constantza in the region, its strategic location on the European corridors, as well as its role in the Danube Strategy and the development of the business network in the South-Eastern and Central Europe.

“In the first seven months of this year, the commercial exchanges between Romania and Serbia reached 429.3 million Euro. The Romanian exports to the Republic of Serbia were of 291.3 million Euro and the imports of 138.44 million Euro. I want to mention that the positive evolution of the traffic of goods in the last years has not reached the potential that the two countries offer, whose economies are complementary in many fields”, stated Patricia Răduţ.

The Commercial Director of NC “Maritime Ports Administration” SA Constantza believes that “in the economic relations with Serbia, one of the biggest advantages of the port of Constantza is the fact that it is both maritime and river port. Every day about 200 river vessels are in the port for loading/unloading goods or waiting to be operated. The facilities offered by the port of Constantza allow the accommodation of any type of river vessel.”

Marko Vrzic received the award on behalf of MK Commerce

The partners of Constantza Port found out about the stage of the major investment projects in progress, with a total value of over 280 million Euro. At the same time, the projects declared eligible for being financed from European funds were presented:

- Modernisation of the port infrastructure, by providing deeper approach channels and basins and by increasing the navigation safety in the port of Constantza;

- Road bridge across the link canal - building a metal road bridge with a span of 105 meters which will link the river-maritime area with the artificial island of the port of Constantza and will connect it to the road network inside and outside the port.

All these facts aim to the continuous development of the investments in the port of Constantza, for the enhancement of the port’s performance, so that we meet the needs of our partners: transporters, agents, shipping lines, port operators, that we permanently collaborate with in order to achieve a mutually beneficial partnership.

George Gabriel Vişan, the Commercial Director of NC “Maritime Ports Administration” SA Constantza, emphasized that “in the port of Constantza, there are several investment projects in progress, in order to build new facilities for cargo handling and to improve the transport connections between Constantza Port and its hinterland, projects located in the South part of the port.

The participants at the event in Novi Sad consider the annual meeting with the port of Constantza an important opportunity to meet their business partners and find ways to develop mutually beneficial partnerships.

Besides, the interest of the businessmen to meet their potential clients and partners and talk in the environment provided by NC MPA SA could be noticed, many of the important business between the two regions, in the field of river and sea transport, have been initiated at Novi Sad.

During his business travel in Serbia, the Commercial Director of National Company „Maritime Ports Administration” Constantza had important meetings with Serbian authorities and companies.

Vladan Misic, representative of Constantza Port in Serbia

George Gabriel Vişan met in Belgrade the Assistant Minister in the Serbian Ministry of Transport, Mirjana Trifunovic, and on that occasion there were discussions about the importance of the port of Constantza for the companies in the region, the possibility of identifying common solutions for revitalizing the traffic on the Danube between the two countries.

Mirjana Trifunovic received the invitation to visit the port of Constantza and get to know its potential and capacity, as well as the business carried out by the Serbian companies in Constantza.

The management of JRB company, the oldest shipowner in Serbia which has the largest fleet on the Danube, with an experience of more than 150 years, met the Commercial Director of Constantza Port, expressing their intentions to continue cooperation with the port of Constantza. A documentation visit on Sava and Danube took place, on board of a vessel belonging to JRB company.

In Belgrade, George Gabriel Vişan also had talks with the management of the company Agent Plus, which opened its representative office in Constantza last year and wants to develop its business in the port of Constantza.

Mr. Vladan Misic, representative of Constantza Port in Serbia declared: I am very glad that „Constantza Port Day in Novi Sad” was so appreciated by our Serbian partners and companies from this region.

This traditional event became the most important in transport field, which is confirmed by the increasing number of participants every year. Next year, we plan to organize „Constantza Port Day” in Belgrade.