In the period 2016 – 2022, Romania did not have a coherent strategy for the development of naval transport, and the activity of the Constanta Maritime Ports Administration National Company (CNAPM CT) did not take place in a stable environment and on the basis of key performance indicators, adapted to the specifics of the activity, to ensure the efficient use of resources and the implementation of an adequate long-term development plan for the Port of Constanta, reveals the conclusions of an audit mission carried out by the Court of Accounts.

According to the Court’s report, the audit took place between February 28, 2023 and December 8, 2023 at the main state institutions with powers in the field of administration and management of the port infrastructure, as well as the road and railway infrastructure that ensures the connection of the Port of Constanta with the regions served, respectively the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (MTI), the Constanta Maritime Ports Administration National Company (CNAPM CT), the CFR National Railway Company (CN CFR) and the National Road Infrastructure Administration Company (CNAIR), and targeted the period January 2016 – December 2022.

„During the audited period, numerous changes took place in the management of the company, which was ensured mainly by administrators and provisional directors, whose mandate/administration contracts did not include objectives and performance criteria that would make it possible to effectively monitor the performance of the management to the tutelary public authority,” the Court of Accounts says.

CNAPM CT’s efforts to attract additional flows of goods were only partially effective, compared to other ports in the region, it is mentioned in the summary of the audit report. From the point of view of the quantity of goods handled, during the audited period, the Port of Constanta improved its position in the top European ports that transport over one million tonnes of goods annually.

Nevertheless, Romania was below the European average in terms of the quantity of goods handled through sea ports, although the Port of Constanta benefits from an advantageous geographical position.

In terms of container traffic, the Port of Constanta failed to regain the role of Black Sea hub for containerized goods, held before the audited period and, starting from 2018, the Port of Constanta lost its position in the top 20 classified European ports depending on the volume of the handled containers.

From the point of view of the tariffs applied to maritime vessels, the auditors claim that the Port of Constanta is competitive with competing ports on the Black Sea, but not competitive with those on the Adriatic Sea. In this context, in the opinion of the audit team, an analysis of the tariff policy is necessary, as well as of the costs on which the value of the tariffs is based, in order to increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of the port, as an alternative to the current freight transport routes.

„Constanta Port’s passenger terminal was underused during the audited period. Compared to other European ports, the number of passengers calling at Constanta Port was insignificant and decreased compared to 2016, with a negative impact on the results of this activity. The company manages land not used by rent, but also unsystematized land, not included in the economic circuit. These represent a major potential for the development of Constanta Port, which could significantly contribute to increasing the company’s revenues and strengthening the strategic role of the port in the region,” the auditors mention.

During the audited period, the degree of investment did not reach a level that would lead to the modernization and development of the obsolete infrastructure of Constanta Port and, implicitly, to the increase of the attractiveness and competitiveness of the port. Except for 2022, CNAPM CT did not fulfill its legal obligation to use over 50% of its own revenues obtained from the operation of port infrastructure for its maintenance, repair, modernization and development. In fact, starting with 2022, after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, there has been an increase in cargo traffic from Constanta Port, emphasizing the need to modernize the existing road communication routes within the port and to develop new road objectives to cover the need for road infrastructure (roads, passages, parking lots, etc.) to meet transport demand and streamline freight traffic.

According to auditors, in order to ensure the effectiveness of investments in Constanta Port, increasing its attractiveness and competitiveness, additional investments are needed in the network of roads, railways and inland waterways.

AGERPRES