Transforming Burgas port at the Black Sea

The Bulgarian port of Burgas can now accommodate 260 m long cargo ships, thanks to an infrastructure update co-financed by CEF Transport. 

The rebirth28 project constructed a new deep-water berth (berth 28) at the Burgas West terminal in the port of Burgas in Bulgaria. The project created a dedicated area for container handling and storage, along with low-emission solutions for moving cargo between ships and rail. The rail infrastructure at the terminal has also been upgraded to increase rail transport capacity to and from the port. 

Key technical details of the new berth 28 include: 

• Quay wall: 260 m in length, -15.5 m in depth;
• Maximum ship size: 260 m in length, 15 m draft, 4,500 TEU capacity;
• Purpose: container handling.

Construction began in February 2023, with the building of nine caissons for the new quay wall. Specialised marine equipment, including dredging vessels, was used to excavate over 289,000 cubic metres. By September 2024, all nine caissons were successfully installed at the sea bottom. Additional work included the installation of an electric power and lighting system, as well as the renovation of 630 m of railway tracks and adjacent pavement. Construction was completed in January 2025. 

The project also includes a shore side electricity supply infrastructure, serving the new quay wall of terminal Burgas West. This system includes two shore power modules, each with a capacity of 4,000 kVA, to serve berths 27 and 28, and aims at reducing emissions from ships in port by providing power to vessels while docked. 

The upgraded port infrastructure offers several key benefits:

• Shorter vessel turnaround times, reducing fuel consumption and environmental impact;  
• Enhanced operational efficiency of the terminal and berth occupancy optimisation;
• Improved maritime and rail freight transport connections;
• Adoption of new sustainable technologies for freight loading and unloading like electric cranes, electric shunting locomotives and shore side electricity supply.

The EU funded rebirth 28 project is part of BMF Port Burgas AD's broader investment plan to develop the Burgas West terminal as a key transport hub along the Baltic Sea - Black Sea - Aegean Sea Core Network Corridor. The project aligns with EU priorities to reduce the carbon footprint of the transport sector by implementing low-emission technologies for cargo handling.

About CEF Transport

CEF Transport is the key EU funding instrument for the development of high performing, sustainable and interconnected networks, with a focus on the development and modernisation of the TEN-T network. Since 2014, CEF has supported 1,666 projects worth almost €44 billion in the Transport sector.