Port of Varna

Name

Port of Varna

Legal name

"Пристанище Варна" ЕАД (Port of Varna EAD)

Website

https://port-varna.bg

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port Terminal Operations

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (488310), Marine Cargo Handling (48832)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Feeder & Short-Sea Container Terminals (TLAHAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Export Grain Terminals (Port-Based) (AFAOAAAB)

Keywords

• Port terminal operations
• Cargo handling services
• Container terminal services
• Stevedoring and forwarding
• Maritime logistics services

Headquarters

HQ city

Varna

HQ country

Bulgaria

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Stevedoring Services: Core cargo handling services including loading, unloading, and cargo processing. Main revenue stream for the port.
2. Cargo Storage: Storage services for cargo in open areas and warehouses at both terminals.
3. Port Forwarding Services: Port-related forwarding and logistics services.
4. Additional Cargo Services: Cargo shifting, weighing, sorting, lashing/unlashing, palletizing, trimming, washing, painting, opening/closing of hatch covers, fumigation, defrosting material application.
5. Supplementary Services: Fresh water supply, telephone installation, power supply, waste collection and treatment, hiring of port equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Port of Varna EAD operates two Black Sea port terminals (Varna East and Varna West) providing stevedoring, cargo storage, port forwarding, and terminal services for containers, general cargo, dry and liquid bulks, ro-ro, grain, and passenger vessels. It functions as Bulgaria's primary container and grain export hub, offering 24/7 multimodal (road, rail, sea) cargo handling with customs bonded warehousing at its Storage Base (Dry Port).

Product overview

Port of Varna EAD operates as a unified port operator managing two distinct terminal facilities: Varna East Port Terminal (opened 1906) and Varna West Port Terminal (opened 1974). Varna East is a multi-purpose terminal serving as Bulgaria's grain hub, handling containers, general cargo, bulk, liquid bulks, ro-ro, and passengers. Varna West is the modern container hub of Bulgaria, handling containers, bulk, liquid chemicals, grain, and heavy lift cargo. Both terminals offer core services including stevedoring, cargo storage, and port forwarding, supplemented by auxiliary services such as weighing, sorting, lashing, and fumigation. The Container Terminal at Varna West is served by 17 container lines through 14 liner agents. A separate Storage Base (Dry Port) provides customs bonded warehousing near Varna East. The Passenger Terminal handles cruise ships and sailing vessels. The company provides 24/7 port services excluding public holidays.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Varna East Port Terminal Multi-purpose port terminal in Varna Bay, opened 1906, offering stevedoring, storage, and terminal services for general cargo, bulk cargo, liquid bulks, ro-ro, containers, and passengers to shipping operators, cargo owners, and grain exporters.
• Varna West Port Terminal Modern container hub terminal on Beloslav Lake, operational since 1974, providing cargo handling for containers, general cargo, dry and liquid bulks, ro-ro, grain, and heavy lift cargo to container lines, shippers, and freight forwarders.
• Container Terminal at Varna West Container handling facility at Varna West operated by 14 liner agents representing 17 container lines including Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, and others, providing real-time container tracking and transshipment services to global container shipping operators.
• Passenger Terminal at Varna East
• Storage Base (Dry Port) Customs bonded warehousing facility (Dry Port) located 5 km from Varna East Terminal, providing licensed customs storage for general cargo and grain across 6 warehouses (15 decares) and 16 decares of open storage area.
• Stevedoring Services Loading and unloading services for all cargo types including containers, general cargo, dry and liquid bulks, and specialized cargo such as wind turbine components and project cargo, available 24/7 at both terminals.
• Cargo Storage and Port Forwarding Storage services in open areas and warehouses at both Varna East and Varna West terminals, combined with port-related forwarding and logistics coordination services for cargo owners and shippers.
• Additional Port Services Supplementary cargo services including shifting, weighing, sorting, lashing/unlashing, palletizing, trimming, washing, painting, hatch cover operations, fumigation, and defrosting material application for cargo owners and shippers.
• Supplementary Vessel and Port Services Supplementary vessel and port services including fresh water supply, telephone installation, power supply, waste collection and treatment, and hiring of port equipment to vessels and port users.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record revenue of 85.073 million BGN and profit of 14.654 million BGN in 2023, highest in company history
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Grain Terminal Varna West ADcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2014Joint investment partnership exceeding EUR 25 million for development of specialized grain handling system at Varna West Terminal. First phase included modernization through specialized ship loader, conveyor belts, and pneumatic conveyors. Second phase (EUR 33 million total) includes delivery of 210-meter belt conveyor and new shiploader with 1200 mt/h capacity. Enables processing of 2+ million tons of grain annually.
• Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki (ATEI-Th.)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2014Leading partner in SETRACON project (Securing Transit Containers). Black Sea Basin Joint Operational Programme 2007-2013. Project focused on improving container tracking through systematic approach and unified security procedures.
• Alexandroupolis Port Authority, GreeceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in SETRACON project for improving container tracking and security procedures between container terminals in Black Sea Basin.
• Odessa Regional Center for Investment and Development, UkraineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in SETRACON project for improving container tracking and security procedures between container terminals in Black Sea Basin.
• Navibulgar EADcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperator of Varna-Chernomorsk (Ukraine) ferry service. Also provides towage services. Port of Varna facilitates their ferry operations at the port.
• Trident Freight Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperator of Varna-Port Kavkaz (Russia)-Varna ferry service. Connects Bulgarian port with Russian destination.
• State Company Port InfrastructurecoreOthersState enterprise responsible for port infrastructure. Collects canal navigation charges. Provides infrastructure maintenance. Contract No. 30 dated 30.05.2006 for usage, maintenance, repairing, reconstruction, modernization and rehabilitation of public state property sites.
• Pilot Station - P Ltd., VarnacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides pilotage services at Port of Varna. Essential partner for safe vessel navigation.
• Port Fleet 99 Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides towage and mooring services at Port of Varna. Also offers 100T floating crane hire.
• Varna Towage Company Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides towage services at Port of Varna.
• National Company BDZ (Bulgarian Railways)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKey partner for combined transport modes. Offers transport service for all types of cargo including conventional, liquid, dangerous. Provides container service (terminals in Russe and Sofia), RO-LA combined transport, perishable and INTERFRIGO goods transportation.
• Bulgarian Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (BASBA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides information about ship agents and freight forwarders for cargo transportation to/from Port of Varna. Key channel for bringing cargo business to the port.
• 14 Liner Agents and 17 Container LinescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor14 liner agents representing 17 container lines operating at Varna East and Varna West container terminals. Includes: ARKAS, BALKAN LLOYD, CATONI, HAPAG-LLOYD, MAERSK, MSC, MET, NAVISTAR, TERMINAL OPERATOR, KOREAN STAR, TRANSTERRA, THREE STARS, UNIMASTERS, VIA MULTIMA. Connecting Port of Varna to global container shipping networks.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DP World: One of the world's largest port operators with a global network including dedicated container, bulk, and ro-ro terminals. While not directly competing for Bulgarian cargo, DP World sets the operational and technology benchmark that any regional port — including Port of Varna — must match to retain liner customers.
• PSA International: Singapore-headquartered global port operator with terminal concessions across Europe and Asia. Relevant as a broad peer for container terminal operations, IT systems, and productivity benchmarks Port of Varna must compete against for international liner attention.
• Hutchison Ports: CK Hutchison's global port operating arm with extensive European and Black Sea-adjacent terminal presence. Comparable as a multi-purpose terminal operator running container, bulk, and passenger facilities in similar regulatory and trade environments.
• APM Terminals: Maersk's port operating division, with Maersk Line being one of Port of Varna's 17 calling container lines. APM Terminals offers the reference point for container terminal productivity, IT integration, and equipment standards that anchor Port of Varna's container operations.

Direct peers

• Port of Burgas: Bulgaria's other major Black Sea port and the most direct domestic competitor to Port of Varna. Both compete for the same Bulgarian and transit cargo pool along the Black Sea coast, with similar container, bulk, and passenger handling capabilities and shared access to Pan-European corridors.
• Port of Odessa: Ukraine's largest Black Sea port and historically the dominant container and grain export hub in the region. Same geographic basin, same cargo mix (grain, containers, bulk), and competing for the same trans-Black-Sea trade flows affected by the 2022 invasion.
• Port of Constanta: Romania's primary Black Sea port and the largest competitor in the western Black Sea basin. Competes directly for transit cargo on Pan-European Corridor No. 7 (Rhine-Main-Danube), container throughput, and grain exports — the same core cargo verticals as Port of Varna.

Regional players

• Port of Novorossiysk: Russia's largest Black Sea port and a direct counterpart in the eastern Black Sea basin. Historically competed with Varna for the same Russian/CIS transit flows, and remains the most relevant regional reference point for Russian grain, oil, and general cargo throughput.
• Port of Istanbul (IGA Liman): Turkey's main Black Sea ports cluster representing the southern end of the same basin where Varna operates. Compete for east-west Black Sea maritime trade, container transshipment, and cruise/passenger traffic with materially larger investment capacity.

Others

• Oiltanking Bulgaria AD: Liquid bulk terminal operator in Bulgaria in which Port of Varna holds an 8.85% stake. Comparable as an adjacent port-services business operating within Bulgaria's liquid bulks ecosystem that Port of Varna itself serves at Varna East.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/varnaport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/port-varna
• Xx.com/Portead

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Port of Varna