Constanta risks becoming overrun with Ukrainian grain

The port of Constanta risks being overloaded if the Grain Agreement is terminated.

Analysts warn that the volume of grain that will pass through the Romanian port will double compared to the historical record. This could lead to several months of delays in shipments, Reuters reports.

“Exporters no longer sign contracts with Constanta for supplies in July-August, there is no free space anymore. We are currently expecting the arrival of even more grain. The port is signing contracts for September,” noted César Gheorghe, an analyst from the AGRIColumn consulting firm.

Due to Russia’s blocking of the Grain Agreement, the Romanian port became the main alternative for exporting grain from Ukraine. According to the estimates of Romanian traders, in 2023/2024, about 27 million tons of grain and oilseeds from Ukraine will be shipped through the port of Constanta.

As a reminder, since the beginning of 2022, a third of Ukraine’s total grain export has passed through the port of Constanta – approximately 49 million tons, Agerpres reports.

In addition, Romanian port operators shipped 8.6 million tons of grain last year and 6.3 million tons in the first five months of 2023, the Constanta Port Authority said.

In total, from January to May 2023, 12.17 million tons of grain were transshipped in Constanta. This indicator is 21% more than in the same period last year.