Logistics industry in Romania - statistics & facts
Rail freight faces decline, while seaports thrive
The country’s freight transport sector faced challenges, particularly in railway freight traffic, which saw a significant decline of nearly 11.5 percent. Despite this downturn, the most transported goods via rail included coke and petroleum products, amounting to 11.2 million metric tons. On the other hand, Romania's maritime freight sector showed impressive growth. The Port of Constanta, a crucial hub for Romanian trade, reported an increased profit, marking a substantial 73.9 percent increase from the previous year. The port has also been a lifeline for Ukrainian grain exports, which has boosted its profitability and regional importance. The leading port operator, CN ADM, owned by the Transportation Ministry, generated a revenue of 545.4 million Romanian lei in 2023.
FAN Courier dominates Romania’s delivery market
Romania's delivery and postal industry was led by FAN Courier, the country's largest delivery company. By 2023, FAN Courier reported impressive financial growth, with revenue surpassing 1.2 billion Romanian lei. The company served a vast network of approximately 55,000 clients across Romania and operated a fleet of 4,550 vehicles. In 2022, approximately four out of 10 Romanians engaged in mailing activities, with urban residents showing a higher usage of postal services than those in rural areas. Notably, men were more likely to opt for self-service lockers.
Rising demand for industrial real estate
The industrial real estate market has seen significant growth, with the total stock of rented space for industrial and logistics operations exceeding seven million square meters in 2023. Bucharest dominated this market, accounting for half of the national total. The average rent for industrial and logistics space across the country was 4.7 euros per square meter per month, with Bucharest leading again as the most expensive city at this rate. Additionally, the market's expansion is set to continue, with 499,000 square meters of space currently under construction. Among the most anticipated projects is VGP Park Brașov, which will add 60,000 square meters by 2024. The demand is so high that the area was already fully leased before the completion of the project, highlighting the investor confidence in the sector.
As Romania's logistics infrastructure expands, driven by key investments and technological advancements, the sector is poised for continued growth, cementing its role as a critical hub in the regional supply chain.