Rating is based on the data for laden container turnover, without transshipment. MSC secured first place by laden container volume gaining (+) 2,43 p.p. in Q1 2022 vs Q1 2021 resulting in a 21,49% share of the Romania laden container turnover. Although MAERSK moved two positions down to the 4th place in Q1 2022 it still gained (+) 1,48 p.p. resulting in 15,77% in Q1 2022 volume. In total 2M Alliance controls 37,26% of Constanta laden container turnover in Q1 2022 against 33,35% in Q1 2021. COSCO and CMA CGM are demonstrating similar results in Q1 2022 laden container volume transporting 16,32% and 16,21% respectively. OOCL and EVERGREEN are showing a slight increase in Q1 2022 granting OCEAN Alliance with 39,85% of Constanta laden container turnover against 38,48% in Q1 2021. The major volume drop in Q1 2022 belongs to Hapag Lloyd (-) 4,34 p.p.. Hapag Lloyd dropped to the 7 th place (5th in Q1 2021) on the list representing only 4,97% of the laden volume in Q1 2022.

Container terminals of Constanta are overloaded since the end of March 2022 and Informall BG names a few main reasons.

Container terminal congestion is caused by a combination of factors such as:

• Rapid increase of container traffic in transit destined to Ukraine overloaded the container yards of Constanta slowing down the terminal operation. At the end of March 2022, container yard utilization was up to 90%.

• Increased dwell time of Ukrainian Import cargoes as importers are struggling arranging transportation amid a war conflict which contributes to the congestion at the Constanta container terminals. (Since the end of March, 2022 dwell time of Ukrainian containers in Constanta is up to 2 weeks)

• Congestions resulted in increased waiting time for trucks to gate-in to Romanian terminals (2-4 days)

• Difficulties with customs procedures and paperwork for containers in transit to/from Ukraine.

• Shipping lines restrictions regarding container equipment entering Ukraine. Inability to deliver containerized cargoes straight to Ukraine prompts additional operation with cargo such as restuffing into bonded trucks in Romania or Moldova. According to Informall BG analysis, total container transit volume of Constanta port in Q1 2022 has tripled compared to Q1 2021. Our estimations show that around 7,000 TEU in transit were transported to Ukraine in March 2022 only.

Informall BG forecast for Q2 2022 in the container terminal of Constanta:

As Informall BG findings show the port of Constanta does not have enough capacity to handle the needed volume of Ukrainian cargo effectively, therefore, the significant volume growth in Q2 2022 is not expected. According to Informall BG estimations laden domestic container turnover in Romania is expected to grow by 2-3% only, while total transit container volume will grow by 5-7% as a slight decongestion of the Romanian terminals is expected in the second half of Q2 2022.
Source: Informall