Romania is close to finalizing the acquisition of the Giurgiulești Port, the only Moldovan port with direct access to the Danube and the Black Sea, Romanian Transport Minister Ciprian Șerban announced this week.
According to Șerban, negotiations with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) – which currently manages the port – have reached an advanced stage. “We’ve made an offer, and it has been accepted. We are the winning bidder,” the minister said in an interview with DCNews.
He added that a final meeting with Moldova’s Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Vladimir Bolea, is planned for next week. “There are still several conditions to be met by the Moldovan side. One of them concerns extending the port’s concession period, which currently expires in 2030. For this investment to make sense and remain profitable, we need guarantees for operation beyond that date. The Moldovan government has shown openness and intends to make this change soon,” Șerban explained.
Romania first expressed interest in acquiring Giurgiulești Port in 2023, recognizing its strategic importance for regional logistics and trade flows – particularly for the transport of goods to and from Ukraine amid the ongoing disruptions caused by the war.
Located just downstream from Galați, Giurgiulești serves as Moldova’s sole maritime outlet and a critical hub for the Danube corridor connecting Central Europe to the Black Sea.
