According to port authorities cited by the Silk Road Association, the total traffic of goods registered in 2016 through the Romanian maritime ports Constanta, Midia and Mangalia was of 59.5 million tonnes, an increase of 5.5% as compared to 2015.

„In 2016, the grain traffic beat the record registered in 2015, a reference year for this sector. Last year, 20.4 million tonnes of grain were handled through the port of Constanta, as compared to 19.61 million tonnes in 2015. In the total traffic, the cereals had a share of 34.3%, being followed in the top by the crude oil 12.6%, miscellaneous 11.6%, oil products 9.5%, non-ferrous ores and scrap 5.3%” said Metin Apti, the President of The Silk Road Association.

From the total traffic registered in 2016, the maritime traffic registered 46.19 million tonnes (43.6 million tonnes in 2015) and the river traffic reached 13.23 million tonnes (12.73 million tonnes in 2015).
For the maritime traffic, the increase during the analyzed period is of 6%, and for the river traffic is of 3.9%.

The container traffic registered, in 2016, 6.9 million tonnes, respectively 711,339 TEU, as compared to 2015 when there were registered 6.85 million tonnes, respectively 689,066 TEU. In quantitative terms, the increase is of 0.7%, and regarding the number of TEUs, the increase is of 3.23%.

In 2016, 14,516 vessels called at the Romanian maritime ports, of which 4,331 were maritime vessels and 10,185 river vessels.

The Silk Road Association in Romania is a private, non-political and non-profit organisation whose purpose is to continuously promote historical, social and economic values and encourage trade and transport development between the States located on the route of the Silk Road in order to revitalise in new dimensions and reaffirm the Old Silk Road as a fundamental connection between Asia and Europe.

The Silk Road Association serves as a regular meeting place with the representatives of Romanian large companies, interested in developing networks and business with countries along the Silk Road, having meetings and discussions with the diplomatic representatives of these countries in Romania, Mr Metin is promoting, together with his team, a favorable approach between these parties.