Romania’s economy has grown faster than its infrastructure over the past 20 years, and it is now necessary to close this gap in order to keep pace with the market’s rate of development, stated Sebastian Metz, General Manager of the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Romania), at the opening of the “Transport and Logistics in Romania and the Republic of Moldova” conference, held on Tuesday.
“Transport and logistics represent the backbone of the economy. Without railways, roads, and ports, there can be no industry, trade, or exports. They keep the economy moving and are essential for its resilience. Over the last 20 years, Romania’s economy has grown faster than its infrastructure. It is now necessary to close this gap, precisely to keep up with the pace of market development,” said Metz, as quoted in an AHK Romania press release.
For their part, representatives of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (MTI) expressed openness toward creating favorable conditions for establishing public-private partnerships in Romania. “This could become the primary financing mechanism in the future. I believe the German companies present here today bring experience, modern technology, and know-how. In Romania, our priority is to develop the road network, and to modernize and rebuild our entire infrastructure-encompassing rail, maritime, and aviation infrastructure,” stated Mariana Ioniță, Secretary General at the relevant ministry.
The investment strategy of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (MTI) indicates a requirement of 75 billion euros for the current decade; to date, approximately 17.5 billion euros in European funds have been accessed. Other sources of funding include budgetary allocations (contingent upon the allocation of 2% of GDP over the next 10 years), as well as loans and public-private partnerships. “We are at a pivotal moment for our region. Transport infrastructure is no longer just about building roads, railways, and ports; it is a matter of economic competitiveness, resilience, security, and-in our case-European integration. The country is prioritizing rail and inland waterway transport, as well as the continued construction of the ‘Union Motorway’ (Autostrada Unirii), while the development of the Giurgiulești port on the Danube remains a key objective. We should not view Giurgiulești, Galați, and Constanța as separate pieces of infrastructure, but rather as components of an interconnected regional logistics system. Such a system can serve not only the Republic of Moldova and Romania, but also Ukraine and the European market as a whole,” emphasized Mircea Păscăluță, State Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development (MIDR) of the Republic of Moldova.
The conference was organized by AHK Romania as part of a business delegation comprising eight German companies from the transport and logistics sector, which visited Romania and the Republic of Moldova between October 26 and 30, 2026.
The event is part of the Market Development Program for SMEs, initiated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). It is specifically aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from Germany that wish to expand their operations into Southeast Europe, identify new business partners, or participate in projects focused on the modernization and development of transport infrastructure. Key areas of interest for these German firms include road and rail transport; logistics and multimodal transport solutions; maritime/inland waterway transport and port operations; as well as digitalization and smart transport technologies. AHK Romania is the official representative of the German economy; established in 2002, it currently has over 700 members. As of January 1, 2020, a Competence Center for the Republic of Moldova has also been operating within the Chamber, with the aim of strengthening business relations among companies from Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Germany.
Eight German companies are exploring business opportunities in Romania and the Republic of Moldova
The delegation brings together eight German companies active in transport, logistics, infrastructure, and port operations:
DS Spedition GmbH (road transport and logistics), DSD HILGERS Stahlbau GmbH (metal construction, industrial engineering, and cargo-handling equipment), Edgar Rothermel Internationale Spedition GmbH (transport and logistics), Stöhr Logistik GmbH (transport and logistics), TriCon Container-Terminal Nürnberg GmbH (trimodal terminal and combined transport), Bayernhafen GmbH & Co. KG (port infrastructure and multimodal logistics platforms), Eberl Internationale Spedition GmbH & Co. KG (international freight forwarding, road, air, and sea transport, logistics, and customs services), and Duisport-Duisburger Hafen AG (river port operations and trimodal logistics-water, rail, and road).
The participants will hold business meetings with representatives of Romanian companies in Bucharest, Brăila, Galați, and Constanța, as well as with representatives from the Republic of Moldova at the port of Giurgiulești; they will also visit these four ports over the coming days.
The interest shown by these German companies in the two markets is driven by the strategic location of Romania and the Republic of Moldova at the crossroads of the European Union and Eastern Europe, as well as by the role these two countries play in regional transit and connectivity corridors.
Both countries possess significant potential regarding waterways and ports, particularly along the Danube. Major port infrastructures, such as those in Constanța, Galați, Brăila, and Giurgiulești, serve as essential hubs for regional and international trade flows. At the same time, there is a significant need in both markets for modernization and investment in port, rail, road, and intermodal infrastructure-particularly in areas such as multimodal transport, digitalization, efficiency, and sustainability.