Danube shipping faces congestion and dredging tenders

Shipping operations in the Danube region are facing logistical challenges due to infrastructure maintenance and congestion. The National Company “Administrația Canalelor Navigabile” SA Constanța has launched a public tender for dredging services on the Danube-Black Sea Canal. The contract, estimated to be worth over 32 million lei (excluding VAT), aims to address silt accumulation caused by hydrological changes and a lack of periodic maintenance, which threatens navigation conditions and hydraulic exchange.

Simultaneously, significant congestion has been reported on the Sulina Canal. Katerina Kononenko, operations manager at Avalon Shipping, noted that approximately 13 vessels are currently waiting to exit the canal at Mila 36, with waiting times increasing from one day to three or four days. This congestion, affecting both entry and exit points, is driving up grain transport costs. Shipping rates on short routes toward the Sea of Marmara and the eastern coast of Greece have reportedly increased by approximately 10 dollars per ton in a single week.