After the start of the full-scale war and the restricted operation of Ukrainian sea ports, Constanta became one of the key hubs of alternative logistics for Ukrainian businesses. Cargo passing through the port continues onward by road, rail, or inland waterway transport to Ukraine and other European destinations. In this article, we look at where the port of Constanta is located, how its infrastructure is organized, and why it remains a key element of logistics chains between Europe and Ukraine.
Geographic Location of the Port of Constanta and Its Role in the Region
The port is located on the Black Sea coast, at the mouth of the Danube-Black Sea Canal, 179 km from Bucharest. It is Romania’s largest sea port and one of the largest ports on the Black Sea overall. Constanta’s geographic position provides multimodal connections between sea, river, rail, and road transport. The port is integrated into the European TEN-T transport network and is an important node of the Rhine-Danube corridor, linking the Black Sea region with the transport network of Central and Western Europe.
Port Infrastructure: Terminals, Capacity, and Throughput
Constanta’s container terminal is served by several operators, the largest of which is DP World. The port has specialized grain terminals, an oil terminal, terminals for general and oversized cargo, and a Ro-Ro terminal. Total cargo turnover at the port in 2025 was about 67 million tonnes. Port infrastructure is continuously being modernized: in 2024, an investment project worth EUR 65 million was completed, involving the construction of a new terminal for heavy cargo and a Ro-Ro complex capable of handling up to 80,000 vehicles a year.
Why Constanta Became an Alternative to Blocked Ukrainian Ports
Why did the port of Constanta become key for Ukrainian exports? After the blockade of Ukrainian sea ports on the Black Sea, Constanta was where grain, oilseed crops, and other cargo were transshipped onto large ocean-going vessels for further shipment to world markets. Since February 2022, tens of millions of tonnes of Ukrainian grain have been exported through the port. This is the significance of the port of Constanta for Ukraine: it preserved the agricultural sector’s export flows during a critical period when other maritime routes were unavailable.
Container imports deserve separate attention. In July 2026, amid intensifying Russian attacks on port infrastructure in the Odesa region, shipowners effectively suspended vessel calls to the ports of Greater Odesa, and inbound vessel traffic to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports stopped due to the threat of Russian attacks, effectively halting port operations. Leading container lines reported redirecting import cargo: Maersk suspended feeder calls from 21 July 2026, redirecting import containers to Constanta, while CMA CGM, MSC, and Hapag-Lloyd separately announced they were suspending calls to Odesa and Chornomorsk. For importers, this means additional documentation at the Romanian port, new local charges, and the need to arrange onward delivery of the container to Ukraine, although the ocean freight rate under an already confirmed booking usually does not change when a line is redirected in this way, only the costs associated with the discharge port change.
The Sea Leg: How Cargo Arrives at Constanta
Sea transport through Constanta is carried out by ocean-going and river vessels arriving either directly from destination ports or via intermediate transshipment. For grain cargo, containers and grain are transshipped at Constanta onto large ocean vessels, allowing shipments to be consolidated for export to distant markets, including North Africa and Asia.
Inland Logistics: Delivery from the Port to Ukraine by Road
How does cargo get from Constanta to Ukraine? After unloading from the vessel and completing customs procedures at the port, cargo can proceed to Ukraine in one of several ways: by road, rail, or the Danube route, often through a combination of modes within a single multimodal scheme. Road delivery is the most common method for import shipments and is carried out through the Porubne-Siret and Diakove-Halmeu border crossings, or via the Orlivka-Isaccea ferry crossing on the Danube. The choice of a specific crossing point depends on the cargo’s final destination in Ukraine, available transport, and border congestion, while delivery time depends on the route, terminal congestion at the port, and the situation at the border. The timeline should therefore be calculated separately for each shipment, taking into account customs and terminal operations. The rail and Danube options for import delivery are covered in the following sections.
Rail Connections Between Constanta and the Ukrainian Border
Regular container rail service between Constanta and Ukraine is provided, among others, by the operator Western Container Terminal (ZKT), which runs container trains on the Ukraine-EU ports route along the main directions of Gdansk, Gdynia, and Constanta, acting as a contractor for the shipping lines Maersk, MSC, and CMA CGM for import and export transport. In the summer of 2026, in response to the situation at ports in the Odesa region, Maersk launched a temporary rail service between Constanta and terminals in Kyiv, Odesa, and Ternopil for both import and export cargo, with T1 transit declaration processing included in the price; the service is set to run until 1 October 2026 inclusive, or until the situation stabilizes. Overall, rail container transport in Ukraine has shown steady growth: in the first six months of 2026, 155,600 twenty-foot equivalent containers were carried, 36% more than the previous year and the highest figure in six years. Such routes are particularly relevant for regular and large shipments, as they allow delivery schedules to be planned and reduce the burden on road border crossings.
The Danube Route as an Additional Transit Channel
Ukraine’s Danube ports, in particular Izmail and Reni, work in conjunction with Constanta via the Sulina navigable canal. The Danube route is used to move cargo between the lower Danube ports and Constanta, with subsequent transshipment depending on the direction of delivery. For Ukrainian cargo, this channel is part of a multimodal logistics scheme that can combine river, sea, rail, and road components. This route relieves pressure on road and rail directions and further increases the throughput of the whole logistics hub.
A separate element of the Danube route is the Orlivka-Isaccea ferry crossing, which links Ukraine and Romania via an international border crossing point on the Danube, connecting Odesa region with Romania’s Tulcea county. The crossing operates around the clock, and its capacity was doubled after a second ferry was launched in July 2023. The Orlivka-Isaccea route shortens the path from Odesa region to Romania by around 200 kilometres and provides direct access to transport corridors in Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece, making this crossing a convenient complement to sea and rail connections via Constanta, especially for cargo originating from southern regions of Ukraine.
Customs Clearance and Border Procedures During Transit
Transit of goods between Romania, other EU countries, and Ukraine can take place under the common transit procedure, in accordance with the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure. Ukraine has been a party to it since 1 October 2022. Processing is carried out through the electronic NCTS system, which enables the exchange of transit data between the customs administrations of participating countries. In June 2026, Ukraine switched to NCTS Phase 6, which, among other things, involves the use of security data and interaction with ICS2.
“For shipments via Constanta, it is important to determine the customs status of the goods, the transit route, and the required type of guarantee in advance. A correctly prepared transit declaration and consistent data across customs documents help minimize the risk of delays during customs formalities,” note Daleth Group specialists.
The Daleth Group team independently prepares and files T1 transit declarations in the NCTS system for cargo moving through Constanta, supporting the process from arranging the guarantee to the release of the cargo at the border.
Main Types of Cargo Moving Through Constanta
| Cargo Type | Mode of Transport | Clearance Specifics |
| Grain and oilseed crops | Sea, Danube | Transshipment onto ocean vessels, phytosanitary control |
| Containerized cargo | Sea, rail, road | Customs transit depending on the customs procedure; seal and identification data control |
| General and oversized cargo | Road, sea | Individual dimension calculation, permits |
Challenges and Limitations: Queues, Throughput, Seasonality
What difficulties arise during transit through Constanta? The main operational risks relate to the workload of port terminals, seasonal peaks in cargo flow, the throughput of road and rail routes, and the situation at border crossings. For river transport, navigation conditions on the Danube remain an additional factor. In Daleth Group’s practice, there was a case where a batch of containers was delayed at the border due to a discrepancy in sealing, which required prompt coordination with a customs inspector to avoid vehicle downtime.
Conclusion
Constanta is an important multimodal logistics hub for Ukrainian business, combining sea transport with road, rail, and Danube routes. The effectiveness of this route depends not only on distance but also on the correct organization of transshipment, customs clearance, choice of transport mode, and coordination of the entire route.
A separate and increasingly significant segment of cargo flow through Constanta is bulk liquid cargo, primarily diesel fuel and petrol: according to estimates by fuel market participants, about a quarter of all petroleum products imported into Ukraine pass through the port, from where they continue by road, Danube, or rail transport. In July 2026, Romania increased diesel fuel deliveries to Ukraine by 25%, to 179,000 tonnes, joining Poland and Lithuania among the three main sources that together accounted for 83% of the month’s total imports. The importance of the Romanian route grew further after the effective halt of operations at the ports of Greater Odesa in the summer of 2026, caused by intensifying Russian attacks on port infrastructure, when part of the cargo flow that had previously moved directly through Ukraine’s Black Sea ports was redirected to Constanta.
If you need professional delivery from Romania to Ukraine or comprehensive international logistics, the Daleth Group team will support your cargo at every stage, from ocean freight to customs clearance at the border.
FAQ
How long does shipping via Constanta take?
The sea leg depends on the port of departure, while inland delivery from Constanta to the Ukrainian border by road takes an average of one to two days. The overall timeline depends on the cargo type, border queues, and the chosen mode of transport.
What documents are needed to transit cargo through Constanta to Ukraine?
The standard package includes a T1 transit declaration, a bill of lading or CMR, a packing list, an invoice, and phytosanitary or veterinary control documents if required by the cargo type.
Can oversized cargo be transported through the port of Constanta?
Yes, the port has specialized terminals for general and oversized cargo, and further transport is carried out by specialized vehicles in line with oversize permits.
Why is the route via Constanta more advantageous than direct Ukrainian sea ports?
During periods of restricted operation at Ukraine’s main ports, Constanta provides a stable alternative for preserving export and import flows, reducing the risk of cargo delays.