DP World pumps EUR 130 mn of investments into Romania to boost trade

DP World has inaugurated EUR 130 mn in investments at three sites in Romania, according to a statement. The upgrades are expected to boost cargo volumes by some 2 mn tonnes a year, strengthening trade links between the Black, North, and Adriatic seas, and mainland Europe. The move will also exploit synergies with DP World’s in-place network of maritime, rail, barge, and trucking services, the statement said.

The breakdown:

• EUR 65 mn went towards two new facilities at Romania’s Constanta port — the largest container port on the Black Sea — including a 5-hectare cargo terminal catering to heavy, large, and complex cargo, and a roll on/roll (RoRo) off terminal;
• Another EUR 50 mn investment went towards a new multi-transport platform at Constanta that is slated to open next year;
• Some EUR 21 mn is allocated to an 8-hectare intermodal logistics hub in Aiud, providing links between road and rail routes that are in close proximity to Romania’s industrial hub.

The latest investments target firms looking to relocate manufacturing: The new facilities are intended to attract firms that are looking to expand or relocate their manufacturing to Eastern Europe as part of “nearshoring” and “reshoring” agendas that have arisen due to geopolitical strife, the statement said. The trend is particularly visible in the automotive sector, with automotive manufacturing surging in Romania and neighboring countries and creating demand for logistics infrastructure and RoRo terminals to support supply chains, DP World said.

DP World is no stranger to Romania: Romania was the first European country targeted by DP World for expansion, the statement said. DP World has operated in the country since 2004, and has shelled out upwards of EUR 250 mn in investments in the Eastern European state in the 20 years since.