NEWS
The transportation of grain products in standard containers is an effective and popular method of transport.
Port of Varna offers innovative loading through containerization of bulk grain cargo in 20’ containers, ensuring efficiency and reliability:
Optimize your logistics processes with greater efficiency and security!
Dear colleagues, friends, and partners,
We congratulate you on the 118th anniversary of the operational launch of the Port of Varna – a symbol of prosperity, reliability, and innovation in Bulgaria's maritime sector.
Over the years, the Port of Varna has proven itself as a primary driver of economic development, creating opportunities for business, trade, and connectivity with international markets.
On this day, we express our gratitude to all of you – leaders, employees, and workers – for your tireless efforts contributing to the development of the port and the prosperity of our country. Your dedication and professionalism make "Port of Varna" PLC a pivotal entity in the Black Sea region.
May this celebration be a source of pride and inspiration for the future. We wish you and your families good health, success, and new achievements. May the coming years be filled with even more opportunities for growth and development, and may the Port of Varna continue to be a symbol of success and progress.
The management of Port of Varna
The technological capacity of the Varna West Port Terminal continues to increase.
The reengineering of the grain handling facilities has begun.
With the signing of a contract for the delivery of a new, high-tech shiploader and 210-meter comprehensive rubber belt conveyor facilities on February 15, 2024, the next stage of the joint project between Grain Terminal Varna West AD and Port of Varna EAD has commenced. Some of the leading companies in Europe participated in the commercial tender, including the German NEUERO Industrietechnik GmbH, the Belgian VIGAN Engineering, and the Swiss Bühler. The order was won by the globally recognized experts in the production of high-quality conveyor systems - NEUERO. Their successful offer not only met the high requirements of the tender but also featured modern technology and innovations in the market's ship handling facilities.
This project aims to increase the terminal's capabilities for bulk handling of grain vessels at the 15th berth, with new, higher loading standards reaching up to 1200 mt/h. The next stage of the project will involve the delivery and installation of a vertical weighing facility, a type of bunker scale, and the final phase envisages the addition of the entire grain handling system to the 100,000 cubic meter silo complex of Grain Terminal Varna West AD.
As known, the Port Terminal Varna West already operates a system of facilities and silos for bulk grain handling at the 8th berth, with a grain vessel processing rate of 600 mt/h. Around 8% of the processed grain goods at the terminal were handled from storage to ship using this technology in 2023. Within a year, the implementation and commissioning of the new comprehensive technology for loading grain goods are planned, and this investment is expected to contribute to a significant increase in the volume of grain goods processed at the Port Terminal Varna West. This progress is expected to lead to a substantial improvement in the efficiency and productivity of the port, creating a faster and more effective cargo handling process and supporting the rapid development of commercial activities at the port.
This innovative project represents a significant advancement for our infrastructure and is in line with the modernization strategy of Port of Varna EAD. With this new grain handling line, we will be able to meet the expected growth in grain volume and provide more efficient solutions for our clients. The investment not only represents a technological breakthrough in the Varna region but will also leave a significant and positive impact on the environment. With its fully electric power supply and built-in technology for controlling dust emissions, the new grain handling system not only improves the efficiency of the port but will also reduce the carbon footprint.
The total investments of Grain Terminal Varna West AD and Port of Varna EAD for the technological provision of storage and loading processes for grain will reach up to 33 million euros.
AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE FIRST PHASE OF AN INVESTMENT EXCEEDING 25 MILLION EUROS, THE PROCESSING OF A SHIP LOADED WITH WHEAT HAS SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED THROUGH A NEW SPECIALIZED GRAIN HANDLING SYSTEM AT VARNA-WEST PORT TERMINAL.
As a result of a significant investment partnership between two companies, "Port Varna" EAD and "Grain Terminal Varna West" AD, the system is now operational, representing a combination of technological innovations and infrastructure solutions aimed at enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of both companies, as well as customers and traders across the region.
On October 6, 2023, at Berth 8 of Varna-West Port Terminal, the processing of the 180-meter motor vessel "HTK FORTUNE," loaded with 35,000 tons of Bulgarian wheat destined for Algeria, was successfully completed through the specialized facility. The grain is exported by "Kofco International Bulgaria" EOOD. The newly implemented processing system allows achieving loading rates of 450 tons per hour or approximately 10,000 tons per day at a single working point, marking just the first step in expanding the port's grain processing activities.
The first phase of the investment includes the modernization of the cargo handling process through the use of a specialized grain loading machine "Ship loader," technological conveyor belts, and pneumatic conveyors, combined with newly built infrastructure for grain reception, automatic sampling, and storage. All of these components provide optimal conditions for ship loading and high-productivity grain processing, ensuring accuracy while employing environmentally friendly technology.
Within 12 months, the delivery and commissioning of new comprehensive technological equipment are expected to conclude, allowing a double increase in loading rates at specialized facilities. The ship loading rate is anticipated to exceed 20,000 tons per day, enabling parallel specialized processing of multiple grain-loaded vessels, ensuring a total export capacity of over 35,000 tons per day. The grain storage capacity built up to this point stands at 100,000 tons. The finalization of the investment processes will guarantee full utilization of the warehouse and port infrastructure capacity, enabling the processing of over 2 million tons of grain annually solely through Varna-West Terminal.
These investments align with forecasts and provide opportunities for additional growth and expansion in the grain production and trading sector. The implementation of the high-capacity processing system and infrastructure improvements represents a crucial strategic step, strengthening the positions of the companies in the grain processing market and confirming the commitments of "Varna Port" EAD and "Grain Terminal Varna West" AD to modernization and innovation in business. This entrepreneurial initiative will reinforce the companies' positions in the grain processing market and contribute to the stability and growth of both entities.
Varna Port EAD Press Center
