DP World, the Emirati multinational logistics company based in Dubai, has received a €38 million ($40.5 million) grant from the Ministry of Transport in Romania and the European Union to transform its Constanta, the EU’s largest Black Sea port, into a global trade hub.
Three large scale expansion projects are now underway at DP World facilities in Romania, including a new Ro-Ro terminal and a new multimodal Aiud terminal. The combined projects are expected to increase the cargo flows by around 1 million tonnes per annum, beginning in Q3 this year. DP World has initiated port expansion programmes at six of its 11 major terminals across the continent over the past year, including Antwerp World Gateway, Novi Sad, Aiud, and 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.
John Woollacott, Head of Ports & Terminals for DP World Europe, believes that ports need to be more than just cargo handlers and work in tandem with the broader supply chain. Automated equipment powered by electricity replaces fossil fuelled equipment, thus cutting CO2 emissions for DP World and its clients drastically. The overall value of the project is €52.9 million ($56 million), of which the European Union is co-financing €31.3 million ($33.3 million).
