Constanţa, June 12th, 2026
FEPORT members, gathered for their Summer General Assembly in Constanţa at DP World’s terminal, extensively discussed the EU Ports Strategy that was adopted in March this year. FEPORT members also welcomed the recently adopted EU Transport Council conclusions on the EU ports Strategy which among others reiterate that European ports must remain attractive destinations for investment and that screening mechanisms should be risk-based, proportionate and non-discriminatory.
The investments made by DP World in Constanţa are an impressive example of how private investment can keep EU supply chains resilient and competitive in Eastern and Central Europe.
Situated at the mouth of the Danube-Black Sea Canal, DP World port and terminals include 24/7 operations of container, Ro-Ro and project cargo terminals in one hub, supported by an on-site CFS for inspections, stuffing, and storage. Direct rail and motorway links move cargo inland fast, while a dedicated project cargo zone supports heavy and oversized loads.
In line with the European Union’s objectives to strengthen multimodal transport, enhance the efficiency of logistics networks and advance the TEN-T policy framework, DP World has further expanded its inland logistics footprint through the development of the Aiud Intermodal Terminal.
Strategically located in central Romania, the Aiud terminal enhances connectivity between major European transport corridors and the Port of Constanţa, facilitating smoother cargo flows across rail and road networks.
“It will be crucial that the EU Ports Strategy unleashes the potential that private investments represent for EU Ports and their connectivity by de-risking private capital and enhancing predictability and bankability for ports as clusters for energy transition” says Mr Gunther Bonz, President of FEPORT.
“We need to respond to the multifaceted fast-shifting geopolitical landscape and new risks such as cyberattacks, drone risks, and hybrid warfare but we must not forget that without massive investments in transport infrastructure and access to energy, ports won’t be able to be resilient and play their role as enablers of the energy transition” adds Mr Bonz.
“The private sector in ports is ready to play its role in supporting investments, but we need a clarification of the State Aid and funding rules and hope that the EU Commission and Member States will not miss the opportunity of the revision of the Global Block Exemption Regulation to provide legal clarity instead of the current fragmented framework that may discourage private investors” concludes FEPORT President.
“FEPORT welcomes the EU Transport Council’s conclusions regarding the Electrification Action Plan as a means to support port electrification. We believe that the recognition in the Grids Package that the electricity grid infrastructure and OPS in ports are of ‘overriding public interest’, must indeed help bypass traditional permitting delays” underlines FEPORT Secretary General, Lamia Kerdjoudj.
“The EU Transport Council’s and the EU Commission’s acknowledgement of the risk of traffic diversion to non-EU transhipment ports due to the implementation of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), is a significant step but it should be followed, in the framework of the revision of ETS, by a strong recommendation to Member States to earmark a portion of their national ETS revenues specifically for port investments into the deployment of battery-electric cargo handling equipment and the rollout of shore-side electricity” states FEPORT Secretary General.
“FEPORT members look forward to continuing the good cooperation with the EU Commission, the European Parliament and Member States” concludes Lamia Kerdjoudj.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Lamia Kerdjoudj, Secretary General of FEPORT
