Director of Strategic Projects and Network Development at Hupac Intermodal S.A. Alberto Grisone, speaking at the BLACK SEA TRANSPORT CORRIDORS 2026: PORTS, RAILWAYS, SHIPPING conference, highlighted a critical issue in Romania’s rail sector – the ongoing decline in transport speed. According to him, while in 2012 a freight train crossed Romania in around 21 hours, today the same transit takes 27–30 hours. He stressed that the industry needs to return to a benchmark of 18 hours in order to make the Constanța corridor truly competitive.
Grisone also criticized the growing trend of so-called “garden terminals” – small private logistics sites that become unprofitable once subsidies end. Instead, he called for greater synergy across the sector, including consolidation of cargo flows from different operators and more efficient use of empty return wagon capacity.
Another key issue raised was the language barrier in European rail transport. Unlike aviation, rail operations in Europe still lack a unified working language, and train drivers are required to obtain national certifications (such as E1) for each country they operate in, significantly slowing cross-border traffic.
On digitalization, Grisone pointed to Türkiye as a benchmark, where exporters submit a single unified declaration that covers both railway and customs procedures. However, he noted that at the international level, progress remains limited due to national conservatism and reluctance among countries to share data systems.
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