New transport lines available in Romania

Constanta-Batumi- Ilyichevsk ferry line, take-off for the Iasi Airport runway and “Banat Semmring” railway reloaded.

A new Black sea ferry line linking Constanta harbor to Batumi (Georgia) and Ilyichevsk (Ukraine) was opened on Thursday. Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan ambassadors to Bucharest, MFA state secretaries, Transport minister, as well as Ukrainian and Georgian officials attended the event, organized by the Romanian company Romcargo Maritim, initiator and manager of the new shipping line.

According to Romcargo Maritim manager, Dorin Iacob said the new Black sea ferry line is the result of a 12-month negotiation and international commercial arrangements project that his company developed in partnership with the Ukrainian company Ukrferry LLC, which is the actually the ship-owner of Ro-Ro ferry line. “What we have practically managed to do is setting up the transport connection point that Black Sea missed- a connection between Constanta, Caspian countries and even far-away Orient destinations, by re-establishing much or less the old Silk Road. The new line is cutting short the transit and the transport logistics costs between EU and Caspian Sea countries for all type of goods, from 25-30 days that usually took by Anvers/Rotterdam-Caspian region route to 15 days now. Truck and trailers can ship aboard the new ferry line for a EUR 1,600 fee”, Iacob said, as quoted by Agerpres.

The ferry can transport up to 90 trucks or 103 boxcars (train wagons) or 750 cars and can also ship 150 passengers. The ferry–boat is leaving from Constanta, every Thursday at 23.59 p.m. and turns back in a week, at 4 p.m.

New Iasi Airport runway, brought into service

Iasi airport has a brand-new 2,400 meters runway, which got operational since Thursday. The new runway was finished a few months earlier than having been contracted, the total investment mounting to RON 139 M VAT excluded. The workings for the new runway began in August 2013 and the first 1,800 meters have been in service since in August this year. An association of Max Boegl Romania-SC Vega ‘93 Ltd and UTI Group Share Company has won the sale by auction. “Iasi is getting closer to get rid of poverty. When the local budget allows a business cargo, we shall extend the runway up to 3,000 meters”, County council leader, Cristian Adomnitei said, as quoted by Mediafax.

The most beautiful railway line in Romania, back on track

Known as the “Banat Semmering”, the exquisite 34 kilometers long Oravita-Anina railway line, Western Romania has been auctioned a few months ago and Anina City Hall informed that it is due to serve the transportation of 100,000 tons of coal for the next two years. According to Resita radio station, the coal deposit has been recently discovered in the neighborhood and Mintia steam power plant in Hunedoara has already bought it. The exploitation is due to start next month. The good news is that Banat Semmering train is also going to be in service for tourists.

Oravita-Anina railway was built between 1860 and 1863 and engaged a tremendous effort. All tunnels have been dug by clasp and chippers and needed no fewer than 10 viaducts. The line was aiming a faster and easier way to transport the coal from mines to the ships waiting on the Danube channels. The railway was called Banat Semmering, due to the close resemblance to the famous Austrian “Semmering” railway, build between 1845 and 1854.