Containers with Ukrainian cargo have been standing in Constanta for up to two weeks due to port overload

After the shutdown of Ukrainian seaports, the main flow of cargo from Ukraine was redirected to the Romanian port of Constanta. However, its infrastructure cannot cope with the sharp increase in cargo flow, which leads to significant delays in the clearance of goods.

If earlier it took 1-3 days to export an import container, now the clearance of cargo takes 1-2 weeks, and sometimes even longer. The port is filled with containers and other cargo, and their clearance is very slow.

Export cargo is cleared a little faster, but is also affected by port congestion. Ukrainian exports are only accepted at a certain time before the vessel arrives, as the port does not have the ability to accumulate cargo.

The situation was additionally complicated by the fact that some customs officers were sent for advanced training from September 14 to 22. Therefore, procedures that previously took 2-3 days now take 5-7 days. At the same time, the Romanian side did not officially confirm the sending of customs officers for advanced training, and information about this was received from carriers.

It is worth noting that the queue for clearance does not depend on the type of cargo or whether it was transported in a container or in bulk by truck, therefore both grain carriers and container ships await clearance at the port equally.

Currently, the port's throughput capacity is most constrained by customs procedures, which are delayed by a lack of workers and the availability of free ramps for inspections.

Increasing transport downtime to 1-2 weeks significantly increases shippers' costs, which ultimately affects the final price of goods.