TRANSFORMATION OF GLOBAL MARITIME TRADE AND THE MARITIME TRANSPORT SERVICES MARKET: FOREIGN ECONOMIC POSITIONS OF ROMANIA, UKRAINE AND MOLDOVA IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITALISATION AND EUROPEAN ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

Abstract

Disruptions to maritime trade since 2019, geopolitical shocks and the reconfiguration of supply chains have increased the importance of the Black Sea-Danube area for European economic security. Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine has redirected cargo flows, increased pressure on ports and border infrastructure, and expanded the role of alternative routes linking Ukraine and Moldova with the European Union. At the same time, digitalisation has changed the organisation of maritime transport and raised new requirements for data compatibility and the protection of critical infrastructure. The article examines changes in global maritime trade and compares the foreign economic positions of Romania, Ukraine and Moldova in trade in maritime transport services. The study considers the scale and commodity composition of maritime cargo flows and the relationship between physical freight volumes and value indicators of exports and imports of transport services. It discusses the different functions performed by the three countries within the regional port and logistics system, including the role of the Port of Constanța, Ukrainian seaports, the Danube route and the Giurgiulești transport junction in maintaining foreign trade connections and redirecting cargo flows. Regional cooperation is considered through the Solidarity Lanes, multimodal connections, border infrastructure and the coordination of transport procedures with the European Union. The digital dimension includes Maritime Single Window mechanisms, standardised data exchange, the interoperability of port, customs and logistics information systems, and cybersecurity requirements. The methodological framework combines comparative, structural and dynamic analysis, index assessment and cargo-flow segmentation. Physical indicators of loaded and unloaded cargo are considered together with value indicators of trade in transport and maritime transport services. This approach distinguishes the operational workload of port systems from the countries’ participation in the international exchange of services. The purpose of the article is to compare the three countries’ positions in regional maritime transport and to identify the institutional, infrastructural and technological factors relevant to more resilient maritime trade, deeper European economic integration and stronger foreign economic cooperation.