09 October 2026
(PHOTO: Viktoria Gubareva)
In Romania, a proposal has been made to launch a national project for the ongoing dredging of the Danube to ensure navigable depths, stable river transport, and the efficient operation of the Port of Constanța.
This was discussed during a meeting on the future of the Port of Constanța, according to a Romanian publication.
The discussion took place on October 2. Participants emphasized that the Danube should be used more actively for transporting cargo between Central European countries and the Port of Constanța. This is a proposal from the port industry, not a decision adopted by the Romanian government.
They propose shifting from sporadic dredging operations to the continuous maintenance of the necessary depths, particularly during periods of low water levels. The idea is that this will help make navigation more predictable and strengthen port logistics.
Following the discussion, the Constanța Port Business Association plans to prepare legislative and practical proposals and submit them to the Romanian Parliament and other government agencies.
The Institute for Danube Studies believes that the initiative signals a shift in the approach to river infrastructure. Guaranteed navigability should become a permanent component of transportation and economic security, rather than a reaction to isolated periods of low water levels.
This has practical significance for Ukraine. The ports of Reni, Izmail, and Ust-Dunaysk operate within a single system on the Lower Danube. The condition of the navigation channels, the capacity of Romanian waterways, and the capabilities of the Port of Constanța all affect the speed and cost of transportation.
Therefore, according to the institute, Ukraine should synchronize the development of its own Danube ports and access infrastructure with Romanian decisions. At the basin level, the most effective approach would be to combine dredging efforts with joint monitoring of water levels and the planning of transport corridors.
Ірина Глухова