Giurgiulesti International Free Port

What Giurgiulesti International Free Port does

Giurgiulesti International Free Port (GIFP) is Moldova's sole sea-river port, located at Danube River km 133.8 (nautical mile 72.2) on the maritime section of the Danube, near the Romanian and Ukrainian borders. Operated by ICS Danube Logistics SRL — itself owned since December 31, 2025 by Romania's state-owned Port of Constanța following an EBRD exit — the port integrates maritime, river, broad-gauge (CIS) and standard-gauge (EU) rail, and road connections within a single facility, handling over 70% of Moldova's waterborne imports and exports.

The port's product set comprises seven specialized terminals: an Oil Terminal (63,600 cbm tank farm, jetty, mixed-gauge rail loading) operated by Danube Logistics; two grain terminals (Prut, 50,000 mt, and Danube, 10,000 mt with 800 t/h radial conveyor) operated by Trans Oil subsidiaries; a Vegetable Oil Terminal (15,000 mt) linked to a 720 tonnes/day sunflower crushing plant; a Liquid Bulk Terminal (3,000 m3 stainless reservoirs); a General Cargo & Container Terminal with 70-ton Sennebogen crane and 400 t/h shiploader; a RoRo Terminal; and a Mixed-Gauge Rail Terminal enabling transshipment between EU and CIS rail systems with regular block trains to Constanta's CSCT. Throughput reached 2.0 million tons in 2025 and 2.17 million tons in 2023 (a record); container throughput hit 8,646 TEU in 2023. A new €24 million universal berth with EU financing (Letter of Intent June 2026) will add 850,000 tons of annual capacity.

Revenue derives from five streams: per-ton transshipment fees across terminals, recurring storage and warehousing fees (oil, grain, vegetable oil, liquid bulk), long-term business park land and warehouse leases under a free economic zone regime (75% corporate income tax reduction, duty and VAT exemptions), vessel services (pilotage, towage, bunkering), and rail terminal services. Customers include Trans Oil Group, Rompetrol, Transgaz, Südzucker Moldova, Danube Oil Company, Temirzhol Zhondeu, and 74 business park residents with cumulative $137 million+ invested. Moldova's Parliament declared GIFP a strategic infrastructure objective in 2026, and ISO 50001:2018 energy management certification was obtained in June 2025.

Name

Giurgiulesti International Free Port

Legal name

ICS Danube Logistics SRL

Website

https://gifp.md

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Giurgiulesti International Free Port (GIFP) is Moldova's sole sea-river port, operating seven multimodal cargo terminals and a free economic zone business park that together handle over 70% of the country's waterborne imports and exports for Moldovan importers, exporters, and industrial tenants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port and Terminal Logistics Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTLAHAAAC

Feeder & Short-Sea Container Terminals

Transportation & Logistics/Ports, Terminals & Maritime Services/Container Ports & Terminals (Container Handling)

SECONDARYTLAHALAE

Port Equipment Operations (Crane Operators, RTG/RMG, Straddle Carrier Operations)

Transportation & Logistics/Ports, Terminals & Maritime Services/Port Equipment & Terminal Operations Services (Stevedoring, Cargo Handling, Gear Rental)

SECONDARYTLAHAAAA

Deep-Sea Container Terminals (Mainline / Transshipment Hubs)

Transportation & Logistics/Ports, Terminals & Maritime Services/Container Ports & Terminals (Container Handling)

SECONDARYTLAHAEAB

Ferry & Domestic Passenger Terminal Operations

Transportation & Logistics/Ports, Terminals & Maritime Services/Passenger & Cruise Terminals

Keywords

• Multimodal port logistics
• Cargo transshipment services
• Maritime terminal operations
• Free zone warehousing
• River and rail shipping

Headquarters

HQ city

Chisinau

HQ country

Moldova

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Transshipment Services: Charges for loading/unloading cargo between maritime vessels, river barges, trucks, and railway wagons at various terminals including oil, grain, vegetable oil, liquid bulk, and general cargo terminals.
2. Storage and Warehousing: Storage fees for petroleum products (63,600 cbm tank farm), grain (60,000 mt capacity), vegetable oil (15,000 mt), and general cargo/open storage areas.
3. Business Park Lease: Long-term land leases (reduced from 99 to 49 years by 2026 law) and office/warehouse leasing to port resident companies. By end of 2025, 74 companies had invested over $137 million in the port.
4. Vessel Services: Pilotage, berthing, towage, waste removal, fresh water and electricity supply, and bunkering services for vessels calling at the port.
5. Rail Terminal Services: Mixed-gauge railway terminal operations allowing transshipment between broad gauge and standard gauge rail cars, plus container block train connections to DPW container terminal in Constanta.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Giurgiulesti International Free Port operates Moldova's sole sea-river port at Danube km 133.8, providing multimodal cargo handling, transshipment, and storage services through a network of specialized terminals. It offers loading/unloading, tank and silo storage, vessel and rail services, and business park leasing under a unique free economic zone regime with tax and customs incentives. Customers include Moldovan importers, exporters, agricultural traders, fuel distributors, and industrial tenants requiring access to international maritime, river, rail, and road networks.

Product overview

Giurgiulesti International Free Port is Moldova's sole sea-river port operator providing integrated logistics and cargo handling services. The port operates as a multi-terminal complex consisting of: Oil Terminal (operated by Danube Logistics, 63,600 cbm storage), two Grain Terminals (Grain Terminal - Prut and Grain Terminal - Danube, combined capacity exceeding 1 million tonnes/year), Vegetable Oil Terminal (operated by Trans Oil Group subsidiary), Liquid Bulk Terminal (operated by Grand Invest Grup), General Cargo & Container Terminal, RoRo Terminal, and Mixed-Gauge Rail Terminal. The portfolio also includes the GIFP Business Park offering tax-advantaged leasing of land, offices, warehouses, and storage facilities. Transportation access includes maritime, river, broad-gauge railway (CIS), standard-gauge railway (EU), road, and air connections. The port handles over 70% of Moldova's waterborne imports and exports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oil Terminal Oil storage and transshipment terminal on the Danube featuring a jetty, tank farm with eight tanks (63,600 cbm total capacity), truck-loading facilities for simultaneous loading of up to four trucks, and a mixed-gauge rail loading/unloading facility, serving fuel distributors, ethanol producers, and industrial liquid fertilizer importers.
• Grain Terminals (Prut and Danube) Two specialized grain loading terminals operated by SC Trans Cargo Terminal SRL, comprising Grain Terminal - Prut (50,000 mt storage, 300 t/h loading) and Grain Terminal - Danube (10,000 mt storage, 800 t/h radial conveyor loading), with combined transshipment capacity exceeding one million tonnes per annum for Moldovan agricultural exporters.
• Vegetable Oil Terminal Vegetable oil storage and transshipment terminal operated by SC Trans Bulk Logistics SRL (Trans Oil Group subsidiary), with storage capacity of approximately 15,000 mt and connected to Danube Oil Company's sunflower seed crushing plant, handling vegetable oil tankers up to 10,000 dwt.
• Liquid Bulk Terminal Liquid bulk storage and transshipment terminal started operations in 2022 and operated by Grand Invest Grup, with four stainless steel reservoirs totalling 3,000 m3 capacity for the import and export of ethanol, wine, and liquid fertilizer, connected to Danube Logistics' oil jetty.
• General Cargo and Container Terminal Multi-purpose terminal with universal quay for maritime vessels (draft 4.5-7m) and river barges, handling dry bulk, general cargo, and containers including imports of coal, petcoke, construction materials, fertilizer, and exports of grain, seeds, meal, DDGS, and scrap metal. Equipment includes a 70-ton Sennebogen mobile harbor crane, two Fuchs material handlers, mobile conveyor belts for grain loading (300 t/h), and two reachstackers.
• RoRo Terminal RoRo terminal adjacent to the General Cargo & Container Terminal with a RoRo ramp (unfinished surface, can be completed on short notice). Currently used for unloading dry bulk cargo from river barges directly onto trucks and railway wagons.
• Mixed-Gauge Rail Terminal Rail terminal in operation since September 2014 enabling transshipment of liquid bulk products between broad gauge (CIS) and standard gauge (EU) railway lines, equipped with ten loading stations and ten unloading stations, approximately 600 TEU container storage, and regular block train connections to the DPW container terminal in CSCT Constanta.
• GIFP Business Park Business park within Giurgiulesti International Free Port offering long-term leases of land, offices, warehouses, and open storage facilities, providing tri-modal transport infrastructure connections within a low-cost environment and a unique tax and customs regime including 75% corporate income tax reduction for the first 10 years (3% instead of 12%), exemption from excise taxes and import VAT, and exemption from import/export duties. By end of 2025, 74 companies had invested over $137 million in the park.
• River Transportation Services River transport services via the Danube River enabling inland waterway transport of cargo to and from countries along the Danube including Germany upstream, and connections to Port of Constanta via the Cernavoda channel.
• Maritime Transportation Services Maritime transport services providing direct access to Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Atlantic East Coast shipping routes. Giurgiulesti International Free Port can receive both inland river barges and seagoing vessels up to 7m draft and 10,000 dwt.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cargo throughput of 2.0 million tons in 2025, up from 1.83 million tons in 2022 and 1.4 million tons in 2021
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Port of Constanța (Compania Națională Administrația Porturilor Maritime SA Constanța)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 December 2025Romania's state-owned port company acquired 100% of ICS Danube Logistics (operator of Giurgiulești International Free Port) from EBRD on December 31, 2025 following competitive international M&A tender process. Committed to long-term development including €24 million investment in capacity expansion, infrastructure modernization, and strengthening position in European transport corridors.
• Trans Oil Group of CompaniescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor agricultural commodity company operating Vegetable Oil Terminal (15,000 mt capacity) through SC Trans Bulk Logistics SRL, and Grain Terminals Prut and Danube through SC Trans Cargo Terminal SRL. Transshipment capacity exceeds 1 million tonnes annually. Also operates sunflower oil crushing plant (720 tonnes/day).
• Danube Oil Company SRLcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConstructed and operates sunflower seed oil crushing plant within GIFP with production capacity of 720 tonnes of sunflower seeds per day. Products delivered to over 60 countries with 500+ million consumers.
• Grand Invest GrupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperates Liquid Bulk Terminal with four stainless steel reservoirs (3,000 m3 capacity) for import and export of ethanol, wine, and liquid fertilizer. Connected to oil jetty operated by Danube Logistics.
• UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNECE experts conducted Environmental Performance Review (EPR) of GIFP in May 2026, analyzing progress in environmental protection and sustainable development, including alignment with EU standards. Focus on regulatory compliance, waste management, energy, climate change, and occupational health.
• Technical University of Moldova (UTM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in DIONYSUS project (Danube Transnational Programme) for integrating Danube Region into smart and sustainable multimodal transport chains. Total project budget over €3 million; UTM leading Moldovan aspects. Comprehensive Development Plan of GIFP being elaborated.
• Republic of Moldova GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoldova Parliament declared GIFP strategic infrastructure objective in 2026. Amended Giurgiulești International Free Port law including reducing lease term from 99 to 49 years, replacing fixed $1,000 annual royalty with market-based pricing, requiring full EU law compliance by 2030. Investment agreement signed December 2004 for port development.
• SRAC and IQNetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification bodies that awarded EN ISO 50001:2018 energy management certification to Danube Logistics on June 25, 2025. SRAC is Romanian Association for Quality Assurance; IQNet is International Certification Network.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Port of Brăila: Romanian Danube port offering multimodal cargo handling with similar bulk and general cargo focus. Comparable in throughput profile and infrastructure assets, serving overlapping Romanian shipper and trader customers.
• Port of Galați: Romania's principal Danube port with combined river and maritime capabilities serving grain, steel, and general cargo. Closely comparable in scale, customer base (Romanian/Eastern European trade), and equipment profile to GIFP.
• Port of Reni: Ukrainian Danube port located immediately across the border from Giurgiulesti, sharing infrastructure, gauge, and customer overlap. Operates as a similar river-sea transshipment facility with comparable multimodal capabilities.
• Port of Izmail: Ukrainian Danube port that handles grain, oil, and general cargo using comparable river-maritime infrastructure. Direct competitor for Ukrainian transit flows and similar in scale, cargo mix, and connection to the Black Sea via the lower Danube.

Regional players

• Port of Ruse: Bulgaria's principal Danube port with rail and road connections, handling grain, containers, and bulk. Competes with GIFP for Bulgarian and Balkan transit volumes along the middle-lower Danube corridor.
• Port of Vidin: Bulgarian Danube port handling general cargo and bulk. Operates in the same lower Danube commercial corridor as GIFP, competing for some Bulgarian and Balkan transit flows.
• Port of Cernavodă: Romanian Danube port with rail and canal connections, handling bulk and general cargo in the lower Danube. Serves overlapping regional flows though without GIFP's multimodal EU/CIS gauge advantage.
• Midia Port: Romanian Black Sea port focused on petroleum, chemicals, and bulk liquids. Provides an alternative for Black Sea energy cargo flows that might otherwise route through GIFP's oil and liquid bulk terminals.
• Port of Sulina: Romanian Danube delta port with maritime access at the Danube mouth, historically handling grain and bulk. Geographically proximate to GIFP and serving overlapping Black Sea transit corridors, though smaller in throughput and infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• Port of Constanța: Romania's flagship Black Sea port and the new parent of GIFP. While operating at much greater scale and with deep-sea capability, Constanța is the dominant hub for the same Moldovan and regional trade flows and is now both parent and system-level peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DanubeLogistics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ics-danube-logistics-srl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Giurgiulesti International Free Port