The successful development of the “DBS Gateway Region” was reported by project partners at a working meeting held from May 17-18, 2018, in Galati, Romania. Project Manager Anna Natova and the team from Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company met with partners from Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia. Representatives from Varna Municipality and Burgas Municipality also attended the event.
At the meeting, an interim progress report on the “Roadmap” development was presented, and a review of the developed regional plans was conducted. Partners presented the action measures selected in the regional plans and discussed their significance for the development of their respective ports and regions, as well as their contribution to the development of the entire Danube-Black Sea region.
The meeting also presented a proposal for a route to be studied in detail – starting from China and ending in Novi Sad, Serbia. The idea is to investigate prices, timing, and methods of goods transportation, taking into account border crossings, while also identifying alternative land routes in case of unfavorable navigation conditions on the Danube River.
Next year, the “River Show” exhibition will be organized, where this ambitious project will be presented in all Danube countries. The next partner meeting will be held in Novi Sad, Serbia.
The implementation of the project “Regional and Transport Development of the Danube – Black Sea Region towards a Transnational and Multi-Port Gateway Region to the Caspian Region and Far East” (DBS Gateway Region) aims to improve and develop one of the main factors for Bulgarian economic competitiveness – water transport. BPI Co. actively participates in the project, co-financed by the Danube Transnational Cooperation Programme 2014-2020. The lead partner is the Regional Government of Lower Austria.
Within the project framework, an “Analysis of the Danube River and Black Sea Region Potential” has been prepared, presenting the mission, key objectives, intervention areas, and operational goals set by partners from all Danube countries, as well as the strategic document “Common Vision 2040,” which defines the joint direction for economic, regional, and logistical development of the region.