Bulgaria's Port Lom Opens Bulk Cargoes Terminal



One of Bulgaria's major Danube ports, Port Lom, opened Monday its rehabilitated bulk cargoes terminal.

The Bulgarian state has invested over BGN 5 M in the repairs of the so called southern terminal which has not been in use in the past three years because of its deplorable technical condition.

The terminal has had technical problems since the 1970s as it walls started to deform, until its use was rendered impossible by 2006.

In the past, the southern terminal of Port Lom used to process about 80 000 tonnes of bulk cargoes and 50 000 tonnes of "
general"
goods per years.

Bulgaria's Deputy Transport Minister Kamen Kichev, who opened the repaired terminal, has pointed out that the investment signifies the greater commitment on part of the Bulgarian government to the modernization of the port infrastructure in the country.

In his words, the government's vision is to turn Port Lom into a key intersection of the Pan-European Transport Corridors No. 4 and No. 7.

Port Lom will most like be offered on concession at the beginning of 2011. The Transport Ministry is currently designing two more new terminals, one of which will be a ferry boat terminal.

In 2010 so far, Port Lom processed a total of 304 000 tonnes of goods and materials, and the total quantity is supposed to surpass 400 000 tonnes by the end of the year.

Port Lom, which is the closest Danube port to the Bulgarian capital Sofia, processes primarily grain and metals as well as other materials for industrial plants. It used to be a major transportation hub for the bankrupt steel-giant Kremikovtzi located near Sofia.