DOC // Giurgiulești Port declared strategic asset

The Official Journal of the Republic of Moldova today published Law No. 39 amending Law No. 8/2005 on Giurgiulești International Free Port, an act promulgated by presidential decree on March 27, 2026. The new legislative amendments define the International Port as a “strategic port infrastructure asset” of the Republic of Moldova and establish strict rules regarding the expansion and management of its land.

Under the new provisions, the Government will transfer to the General Investor, under a superficies right, the land on which the port is located, for a fixed period until December 31, 2075. The document clearly stipulates the current areas of the port (9.57 hectares and 45.65 hectares), as well as the way it may be expanded through expropriation procedures for reasons of public utility, the costs of which will be borne by the state.

The law also introduces rules on changing the designation of agricultural land and safeguards for residents for the post-2030 period. Starting in 2030, investors will be subject to European Union legislation, without special tax and customs regimes, will comply with the Competition Law, and will submit annual audit reports. The royalty payment will be adjusted annually according to market prices, replacing the previous cap of 1,000 US dollars per year.

The new law underscores the obligation of the General Investor to use the land exclusively for the operation of port infrastructure and to comply with the legislation of the Republic of Moldova in the fields of environmental protection and construction. The amendments enter into force upon publication in the Official Journal, providing an updated legal framework for one of the country’s most important logistics hubs. At the end of 2025, 74 companies were registered as residents of the port, and the total value of investments exceeded 137 million US dollars, most of which were made by ICS “Danube Logistics” LLC. In the same period, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development signed the sale of the port operator to the National Company “Maritime Ports Administration” SA Constanța.