Economic Analysis Regarding the Particularities of a Bulk Terminal in the Port of Constanta

Abstract

The maritime transport is a complex economic activity that evolves in the same way as the economy, contributing to its development, being a factor with a significant impact on economic cooperation on a global scale. Freight is the primary concept in the shipping economy. Considering the interdependence between freight, ship and port, we can say that they influence each other, but the main factor in maritime transport is the merchandise/freight that takes different forms from raw materials to finished products, being classified according to the utility offered to the sectors that use it. Romania is an important maritime hub, due to the location of the Port of Constanta (location that provides the link between the markets of the non-sea European countries to Central Asia, Transcaucasia and the Far East through its position at the trade routes), so that its advantages should be exploited to the maximum given the high potential of the maritime transport in the national economy. The services that are offered by a terminal should take into account the entire logistics chain in order to optimize the associated costs (loading/unloading costs, storage, freight, cost of land transport), with significant restrictions on port final selection. In order to emphasize the importance of a bulk terminal in the Port of Constanta, within this paper we will analyse the transport activity both global and at Romanian level. We will determine the characteristics of such a terminal and the economic impact that it may have on the profitability and activity of a transport operator.