Constanta (Romania)

Constanta is a Romanian port city located on Black Sea's western coast. Port of Constanța is located approx 330 km (206 mi) from the Bosphorus Strait (Turkey) and approx 160 km (100 mi) from Sulina (through which Danube flows into Black Sea).

Port Constanta (locaode ROCND) covers around 40 km2 (15 mi2) of which the land portion is 13 km2 (5 mi2) and the water zone is 26 km2 (10 mi2). The Port is deepwater and well sheltered (by 2 breakwaters - northwards and southwards). It is also the Black Sea's largest, and Europe's 18th-largest cargo port.

The city's favorable geographical position and the Port's importance are emphasized by the connection with two Pan-European transport corridors - Corridor VII (Danube/inland waterway) and Corridor IV (railway). Constanta's two satellite ports (Midia and Mangalia) are located not far from Port Constanța. They are also included in Romania's maritime infrastructure/port system under the coordination of the port authority company Maritime Ports Administration SA.

Sights of interest include the Archaeological Museum and the Treasury with a gigantic 3rd century Roman Mosaic. Tourists can also walk along Black Sea waterfront promenade from the Edwardian Casino to Genoese Lighthouse. Due to the proximity to the sea, the littoral's lakes are endowed with therapeutic minerals. Lake Tekirghiol's mud baths are particularly renowned.

Just like the rest of Romania, little is known about Constanta from the departure of the Romans until late Middle Ages (14th-15th centuries) when it became an important port for Genoese traders. Long-lasting prosperity didn't arrive until late-19th-20th centuries. From Constanta it is possible to explore Danube Delta and Histria - an Ancient Greek city colony (polis) considered the oldest urban settlement on Romanian territory (dating back from 630 BC).

In 2019, the cruise port handled 21 ship calls (mainly riverboats) and ~3000 passengers. Among the visiting ships was the ocean liner Amera (fromerly MS Prinsendam). The 39050-ton vessel (now owned by Phoenix-Reisen) docked on October 29 bringing a total of 754 passengers (max capacity 835) plus 459 crew. Next table shows the ship's 16-day Mediterranean and Black Sea itinerary as call ports and port times (arrival/departure)

As a Black Sea cruise port, Constanta is visited by superyachts and smaller-sized luxury ships with max passenger capacity ~1000.

For season 2020, the cruise port had booked 10 berthings. Among the customers were the ultra-premium cruise travel brands Azamara, Phoenix Reisen, Fred Olsen, RSSC-Regent Seven Seas, Crystal, Oceania, Silversea, SeaDream, as well as the river cruise lines Riviera Travel (Scylla) and Avalon Waterways.

In late-June 2022, the Romanian government started a port development project investing heavily in new port infrastructure including the modernization of the RO-RO Terminal (at Pier II-S) that serves vehicle carriers. For the needed investments a deal was signed with Dubai’s PCFC (Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation/Dubai Government organisation) and DP World (2005-founded holding formed as a merger of Dubai Ports International + Dubai Ports Authority). DP World (currently ranked the world's largest cargo port operator) specializes in maritime services, supply chain cargo logistics, and management of port terminals and free trade zones.

DP World operates (under a concession thru 2029) the CTST (Constanta South Container Terminal), which by annual capacity (~1,5 million TEU-containers) is already the largest on the Black Sea. DP World also services the Port's three rail lines (each with length 600 m / 1970 ft) which have the capacity to handle simultaneously 3x 30-wagon trains.

Constanta cruise terminal