Efficient transport modes permit entrepreneurs to deliver goods and services in the market safely and in due time and facilitate their mobility. Economies vitally depend on transport systems to ensure international freight exchange, but they also have to provide efficient and performing services. Freight transport without transhipment, flexible charging policy based on the progressive reduction system which considers distance, type and volume of freight, as well as simple and rapid payment methods, these are some of the characteristics which represent the foundation of efficient transport. In this context, railway-ferry transport answers these challenges, the development and extension of lines also helping reduce goods delivery times.
In the Black Sea Basin countries, goods transport has constantly increased and their traffic has recorded a growing percentage of 25% from 2004 to 2008, due to the rapid development of the countries in the region. Since this region needs to expand the services which guarantee the operation of a multimodal transport system and a continuous freight flow, the answer is the efficiency of ferry services. For intercontinental railway traffic, Turkey is one of the important countries which have the role of ensuring a connection between Europe and Asia. Being aware of its strategic position, Turkey, next to Ukraine and Bulgaria, has taken significant steps while implementing agreements which encourage the promotion and use of this transport mode.
Thus, in September, the Bulgarian Go-vernment approved the agreement on the organisation of international railway-ferry transport services between the Turkish and Bulgarian ports connected to the railway network. The agreement will facilitate mutual aid in the implementation and development of the project. Services will be carried out while observing the standard regulations on the International Transport Contract. Dangerous goods will be shipped according to the regulations on the transport of dangerous goods and the international code for the transport of dangerous goods on sea.
Ukraine and Turkey have also signed in September the regulations on the implementation of the provisions stipulated in the agreement concluded by the two countries on the organisation of direct railway-ferry international links for the transport of goods between the two countries. Signing these regulations will complete the deve-lopment of the legal framework for the organisation of direct cargo transport. These services will give a special opportunity to all carriers using the transit potential of Ukraine and Turkey for links between Europe and Asia (one the east-west direction), including towards the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea.
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