EFORIE FERRY BOAT, ON THE NEW LINE CONSTANTA - BATUMI

One of the most important points stipulated in "CFR Marfa" SA development strategy is also gaining new clients for transport purposes, by associating as many as possible rail routes.
Ferry boat line opening on Constanta-Batumi (Georgia) route is representing this tendency, and the first measure in this respect has been made on August 5 the current year, when from 120 Berth of Constanta port has left the first transport towards Georgian port Batumi.
This route follows an old one, known and used for centuries by he European merchandisers, especially by those from Asia, whose merchandise and we can mention here only the silk were, and still are required on the West European markets. The Silk Way, as it as called, has today all the chances to become once again one of the most modern and most efficient European Asian communication ways. The transport by ferry boat and then by train sets offers an alternative route, complementary and, in the same time, competitive to those that are already used. Asian countries, as we can mention Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Georgia and Armenia, are big exporters of raw materials used in construction industry from the western Europe (crude oil, non-ferrous ores, gases, coals, cereals, cotton, an so on). In 2000 freight traffic (import-export) through Constanta port towards Georgia has been increased to 337,866 tones, among which for the import there have been noticed non-ferrous ores, with 83% and for the exports, the cereals, with 80%.
Ferry boat ships owned by "CFR Marfa", namely, Eforie and Mangalia, have a dispalcement of 12,500 TDW and can transport in a single voyage between 85 and 100 railway wagons or 80 TIR trucks, or other combination between them. Constanta Batumi go and back voyage, is achieved in six days. The advantages that are offered by this ferry boat line opening are: commercial exchange intensification between the Caucasian countries and European countries, congestion phenomenon elimination which is noticed also in road sector transport, more reduced energy consume, environment protection and transport duration shortening.
Additionally, the tariff policy, "CFR Marfa" established more flexible tariff and a series of facilities which will attract the transporters. Among these we can mention the following:
- loading wagons are provided with priority;
- there is no guarantee charged and also no emergency tariff in order to provide wagons to the clients;
- provide accommodation and meals conditions within the ships, for the drivers and transport attendant;
- for TIR trucks that use ferry boat ships are provided with free of charge transit authorizations on the Romanian territory.
One of the problem that the transporters could have would be the difference between the European gauge and the one used on the former URSS territory. In order to eliminate this inconvenient "CFR Marfa" took a series of measures, which became official once they arrived for the first time of Eforie ferry boat in Batumi. The state secretary in charge with transport problems was present on the ship on this occasion Mr. Ion Selaru, and the general manager of "CFR Marfa" Mr. Vasile Tulbure, who met with their Georgian homologues in Tbilisi capital in order to sign the Establishment agreement of the Romanian Georgian joint enterprises, EUROASIA, founded in order to exploit ferry boat lines. The shareholders of the new companies are "CFR Marfa" (49%) and Georgian Railway (51%), activity object of this one being : freight transshipment from European gauge wagons, 1,435 mm type, in wagons 1,520 mm type, and conversely; CSI wagons transposition on European gauge bogies and conversely; shunting performance in ferry boat terminal from Batumi and commercial operations afferent to the transport by ferry boat ships.
Between 6-7 September, on the occasion of Georgia president's visit, Eduard Sevarnadze, in Bucharest, is going to be signed officially the establishment status of EUROASIA company. Till then there is going to be negotiated an agreement between "CFR Marfa" and Georgian Railway, which will represent, as Mr. Sorin Chinde declared, being the commercial director of the Railway Freight Transport Company, the bases of the cooperation between the two railways. In respect to the opening of ferry boat line Constanta Batumi, Mr. Chinde said that "… it is seen as an investment on long term and, as at every new project, costs and investment covering will be achieved in time. Presently, Constanta Ferry Boat Branch and even the ambassador of Romania in Georgia lead a strong campaign to promote the advantages offered by the Romanian ferry bot transport. We are in competition with other two routes, belonging to other two independent companies, a Ukrainian one and the other Bulgarian one, whose ships are only with large gauge. We presently have in analysis a project that, if it will prove to be possible in financial point , it will offer us the possibility to create a triangle , Constanta Samsun Batumi, which will be able to take over the traffic for Georgia as well as that from Turkey and Middle East, as well as that by TIR trucks from Iran."
With regard to the importance of opening this ferry boat line we discussed with Mr. Nicolae Gancea, the manager of Constanta Ferry Boat Branch, who shortly presented to us the regaining strategy of the market by ferry boar ships on Europe- Asia relation.
Thus, merchandise exchange between Europe and South Caucasian area is based on the European interest to place on the Asian market modern technologies that are needed and that are demanded by the countries in this area in order to modernize chemical and extractive industries, as well as applying transport project of the hydro-carbons from Caspian Sea towards Central Europe. Additionally, being taken into consideration the lack of financial resources of the states in the Asian area, it is supposed that the value of the imported goods will be compensated with raw materials, in counterpart, thus existing the possibility of a rhythmic flux of goods, on a long period in both directions. All these premises impose opening of a new ferry boat route, more efficient, more economic and more safe, as an alternative to those Bulgarian and Ukrainian. Mr. Grancea also told us that, once the promotion activity of these lines have started, "we were contacted by Romanian firms interested in transports performed towards Georgia and the Georgian neighbor countries, the structure of he freight being represented by forage equipment, office equipment, furniture, military equipment and freight in containers. At the beginning this freights will not overpass 8% but it is sure that it will be increased in time.
The main reasons that we have for the exploitation of ferry boat line Constanta Batumi are strong and do not concern only commercial interest of "CFR Marfa", but also of Romania, involved in the integration process in the EU and in NATO. Thus, EU is interested in developing a relation between Batumi port, being proved by the allocation of 2.2 million ECU for the infrastructure of Georgian port, in order to have access to the Romanian ships, the only line that is equipped with a railway infrastructure with European gauge. On the other hand, South-Caucasian countries also have an easy access to the European market through Constanta port. Romanian interest is also stimulated by the danger of diminishing or interrupting the international transit traffic on trans - European Corridor IV section from Calafat Bucharest Giurgiu Constanta and of its deviation through Bulgaria, via Calafat Sofia Burgas, thus eliminating it from the economical circuit of Black Sea Romanian section and Constnta port."
As a conclusion, we can say that the opening of Constnata Batumi line and maintaining it on the market represents an important factor, at macroeconomic level, with regard to the development of the international commercial exchange, as well as at microeconomic level, providing social and economical development of the areas where Silk Way will pass by.

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