Constanta Port Expands Sunflower Oil Exports and Ukrainian Transit

The port of Constanța has seen a sharp increase in sunflower oil shipments

The Romanian port of Constanța began the 2026/27 marketing season for the transhipment of agri-food cargoes with a marked increase in sunflower oil shipments. In September–October of this year, exports of Romanian oil alone via the port reached around 43,000 tonnes, which is significantly higher than last year’s level. The geography of shipments remains focused on nearby European and Black Sea destinations, whilst Turkey continues to play a significant role amongst buyers of this product.

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As noted in a marketing study by the agency Ukragroconsult, Ukrainian transit is providing an additional boost to the flow of sunflower oil through the port of Constanța. The policy of the authorities and the agribusiness sector this season has prioritised the export not of raw materials, but of more compact (from a logistical point of view) and higher-value vegetable oils. Consequently, in the second half of October, the share of Ukrainian origin in the port’s traffic at the aforementioned port rose sharply. The agency’s analysts believe that total sunflower oil shipments via Constanța in November could approach 98,000 tonnes, confirming the growing role of the port of Constanța as a regional hub.

The growth in Ukrainian shipments creates additional opportunities for Romanian processors. Some of the Ukrainian sunflower oil enters Romania as an import, enabling local plants to increase processing (refining, deodorisation, etc.) and supply the market with products offering higher added value. This model simultaneously supports Romania’s domestic market and expands the potential for exporting finished products to European markets.

The regional market is shifting from simple port transhipment towards a more integrated model, in which Constanța functions simultaneously as an export, transit and processing hub.

Note from Logos Press: It is worth noting that the Republic of Moldova’s oil and fat industry is also being integrated into this business model. During the first few months of the current marketing season, Moldova has also reduced its exports of raw materials (sunflower seeds) and increased its production of sunflower oil (albeit, to a large extent, under a ‘tolling arrangement’: traders supply raw materials to factories and subsequently sell the oil). It is evident that part of the export flow of crude sunflower oil is being channelled to Romanian ports, including Constanța.

This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.

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