The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), owner of Giurgiulesti International Free Port, Moldova’s primary sea-to-river port, has launched a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) process through an international tender to identify potential strategic and financial investors, according to EBRD's release.
The process aims to support the long-term development of the port, a strategic asset for Moldova. The M&A process is being conducted in coordination with the government of Moldova, focusing on the port’s future commercial and legal framework to facilitate inward investments in alignment with international best practices and standards for the sector.
Since acquiring Giurgiulesti International Free Port in 2021, the EBRD has increased efficiency, throughput volumes, and profitability. The EBRD has stated its intention to attract reputable investors to further develop the port into a competitive hub for regional and international trade. The EBRD is being advised on this M&A process by Raiffeisen Bank.
Located on Moldova’s Danube River frontage, bordering Romania and Ukraine, the port handles over 70 per cent of Moldova’s waterborne import and export trade.
The EBRD has supported the port’s construction and operation since 1995. In 2013, the EBRD provided a loan and became the primary economic beneficiary of the port’s operations. In 2021, the EBRD acquired 100 per cent of the capital of the Danube Logistics group of companies, becoming the sole owner of Danube Logistics SRL, the port’s operator.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is an international financial institution established in 1991 to support the transition to market economies in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean. Headquartered in London, it invests in projects that promote private sector development, infrastructure, and sustainable growth. In Moldova, the EBRD has been active since 1992, financing projects in energy, transport, and agribusiness, among others.
Danube Logistics SRL is a Moldovan company and the operator of Giurgiulesti International Free Port, Moldova’s main sea-to-river port. Established to manage the port’s development and operations, it has been wholly owned by the EBRD since 2021 through the acquisition of the Danube Logistics group of companies.
