Romania's Port of Constanţa rose to 10th place among European seaports by cargo volume in 2024, despite handling just over 50 million tonnes, a 14% decline from the 67 million tonnes processed in 2023, Ziarul Financiar reported, citing Eurostat data.

Eurostat figures showed that Romania ranked 13th in 2023, with the latest shift driven by relative declines in other ports rather than an expansion in Constanţa's operations. The port recorded the steepest percentage drop in the European Union last year.

Across the EU, seaports handled about 3.4 billion tonnes of cargo in 2024, a level similar to 2023 but below the highs of the past decade, including 3.6 billion tonnes in 2019. Rotterdam remained the bloc's largest freight port, processing 397 million tonnes. Antwerp-Bruges followed with 244 million tonnes, ahead of Hamburg with 97 million tonnes.

Four of the EU's top ten ports registered increases in 2024. Valencia posted a 3.6% rise, while Algeciras recorded a 2.6% gain, both in Spain. 

At the opposite end, Constanţa registered a 14.3% contraction, while Gdańsk in Poland recorded an 11% decline.

iulian@romania-insider.com

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