The first ports to be offered on a concession basis will be Lesport of Varna and Somovit of Rousse, the Bulgarian government decided Thursday. A total of 23 ports and separate wharves are slated for concession. The legal analyses of Lesport at the Black Sea and Somovit at the Danube are ready and the procedures can be opened immediately. Most of the ports in Bulgaria need technical renovation and infrastructure improvements. Vice premier Nikolay Vassilev believes that most of the investments in transport infrastructure will come from public-private partnerships. The business also supports the fast concessioning of the ports, saying that any delay will affect both navigation and the private business. The next ports that are expected to be approved for concession are the new terminal for hazardous freight at Varna-West, the port in Balchik and the ferry line between Silistra and Calarasi. The concession on Lesport will have a term of 30 years. The Varna-West terminal, which has to be built by the concessionaire, will be granted for 35 years.
Source: Pari (14.01.2005)

The concessioner of the Varna port will construct a terminal for liquid dangerous cargo as a part of the port, the Cabinet decided. The greenfield concessioner will be elected through competition. It will construct the terminal using own funds and will have the right to exploit it for a period of 35 years. The minimum investments for the first three years should be in the amount of BGN 16 mln. The candidates should have assets worth at least BGN 10 mln and revenues of at least BGN 50 mln within the past two years.
Source: Sega (04.02.2005)

NSSI announced the top 20 most loyal employers with a personnel of over 1000 people for 2004, insuring a total of 104 959 men with an average insuring income of BGN 545: The company is included in the list.
Source: Other (08.02.2005)

Bulgaria's Black Sea port of Varna is awaiting licensing to handle cargo containerised in accordance with U.S. standards, executive director Danail Papazov told Dnevnik. The port processed 78,450 TEUs in '04, up 20% y/y. If cargo traffic exceeds 100,000 TEUs, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection administration will likely co-operate with the Varna port on the construction of a warehouse for initial processing of containerised cargo. A similar project could be implemented also with the Bourgas port further down south.
Source: Dnevnik (21.02.2005)

Bulgaria's transport ministry opened a procedure to grant a 30-year concession on the river port of Somovit and Lesport at the Black Sea. Somovit is an industrial port managed by the national port of Rousse. Lesport was built as a cargo facility at the port of Varna and used mainly for timber handling. The concession will be granted by remote tender. The deadline for purchase of documents is March 18. Candidates will be ranked according to their proposals for commission fee, investment programme and turnover indicators.
Source: Pari (02.03.2005)

Somovit and Lesport have been presented in the Transport Ministry by the end term which was yesterday. Among the candidates for the first port terminal is Kosmos Shipping – Varna.
Source: Standart (23.03.2005)

By the end of the year, an international tender for the development of a technical project for the building of a passenger terminal at Varna port will be announced, the CEO of National company Ports Captain Peycho Manolov said. The tender procedure will be completed within a year. Following the development of the Varna project, another two projects will be announced – for technical projects of passenger terminals in Bourgas and Rousse, Mr. Manolov added.
Source: Dnevnik (13.04.2005)

Varna port signed a contract for supply of mobile crane Demag Gottwald, port’s CEO Mr. Danail Papazov announced. The crane weights 104.3 t and is the first one, which the company has bought since 1981. The ministry of transport and communication has approved the deal.
Source: Dnevnik (14.04.2005)

The blueprint for the development of the port of Varna, on the Black Sea, envisages the construction of 4 new terminals and the upgrade of another 2. The document will be coordinated with an interdepartmental committee and some 20 state-owned and private companies. Two docking berths will be added to the terminal for containerised cargo of the Varna-West port, boosting traffic capacity to 120,000 TEU annually. Lesport, also part of the Varna port, will be expanded and signed over for operation under a concession arrangement.
Source: Dnevnik (26.04.2005)

Bulgaria's state-owned transport companies posted a BGN 5.6 million net profit for the first quarter of 2005, vice premier and transport minister Nikolay Vassilev said. The profit of Navigation Maritime Bulgare jumped by 46%, year on year. Bulgarian Posts also registered a rise in income by more than 150%. Lesport of Rousse increased its profit by 113%. The airports in Sofia and Bourgas and the ports of Rousse and Varna also posted higher profits for the period.
Source: Pari (09.05.2005)

The National Social Security Institute announced the 50 most loyal employers for the first quarter of 2005 with personnel of over 1000 people, insuring totally 106 811 people with an average insurance income of BGN 561. The company is included in the list.
Source: Other (09.05.2005)

The port of Antwerp is interested in bidding for the contract to run containerised cargo terminal Varna-West, part of Bulgaria's Varna Black Sea port, under a concession arrangement, said the Belgian ambassador to Bulgaria during a business climate discussion in Varna. The Varna-West concession procedure is on the radar screen of the Belgian parent of Devnya-based soda ash maker Solvay Sodi which owns a quay facility on the terminal. The 1.7 mln tons of calcinated lime that Solvay Sodi ships from Varna-West accounts for 1/3 of the terminal's annual cargo traffic.
Source: Dnevnik (08.06.2005)

Yesterday, the Varna Business Academy, which was established about two months ago, announced its nominations for manager of the year. The nominees are the manager of Intercom Group Mr. Pavlin Nikolov, the manager of the building company Planex Holding Mr. Plamen Andreev, the CEO of Port Varna Mr. Danail Papazov, and the CEO of TUI Bulgaria Mr. Valentin Yosifov.
Source: Monitor (30.06.2005)

Swedish businessman, Jan Lindeberg, will invest BGN 30 million in an enterprise for production of construction materials near Pleven (northern Bulgaria). The new factory will be located on an area of 4.5 ha in proximity to the Somovit port on the Danube river. Production will begin within a year and will provide jobs to 250 people. The enterprise will manufacture different types of construction and insulation materials, destined mainly to the European market. They will be produced under a modern technology patented by Lindeberg's NPS, a Sweden-registered company. Jan Lindeberg is owner of four similar plants in China, Chile, India and Ukraine. Some 40 employees will be trained in Sweden and will teach the remaining 210 workers. The enterprise in Bulgaria will work 300 days a year, in three shifts, at 75% of capacity. The investment will be returned in about two years, the businessman said.
Source: Pari (01.07.2005)

The construction entrepreneur, manager of Planex-Varna LTD and president of the Construction Association in Varna- Mr. Plamen Andreev, was chosen by the Varna Business Academy for manager of the year of 2004. The other nominated in the same category were Mr. MPAvlin Nikolov- manager of Intercom Group LTD, Danail Papazov- executive director of Port Varna JSC, and Valentin Josifov- executive director of Tui Bulgaria (Travel Partner Bulgaria) LTD. The award for business innovation of the year went to Eldominvest LTD.
Source: Construction City (12.07.2005)

The 2005’s first half top 50 most law-abiding employers with a personnel of over 1000 people, insuring a total of 106,852 employees with an average insurance income of BGN 592. The company is included in the list. 1. Nuclear Power Plant Kozloduy SPJSC - Kozloduy 9 Ideal Standard Bulgaria JSC - Sevlievo 13 Bulgarian Telecommunication Company JSC - Sofia 26 Asarel Medet JSC - Panagyurishte
Source: Other (08.08.2005)

Today, 'Stanishev' cabinet is going to vote at its first sitting the opening of the procedure for the concession for 'Rousse-West' and part of 'Varna-East' ports. The draft resolutions were introduced by former Minister of Transport Nikolay Vassilev, but they will also be backed by the new Minister of Transport Peter Mutafchiev. "The solution of the problems connected with the concessions for Varna and Bourgas airports are among my priorities," Minister Mutafchiev stated. He also said he was all for the acceleration of the procedure for the privatization of 'Bulgaria Air' airlines. 'The most urgent issue now is the restoration of the railway infrastructure badly damaged by the torrential rains in Bulgaria," Mutafchiev underlined.
Source: Standart (18.08.2005)

Port Balchik of Dobrich and Chimimport Balchik of Sofia will compete for the concession on Bulgaria's port terminal of Balchik, the transport ministry said. The terminal is part of the public transport port of Varna. The term of the concession will be 25 years. The two companies were admitted to participation in the tender on July 29, 2005. After reviewing the offers, the tender commission will rank the candidates within a week. Then transport minister Petar Mutafchiev will submit the proposal for approval to the council of ministers. Before that the government is expected to approve the concessionaire of the Svishtov port on the Danube, where three candidates are bidding for the contract: Dragazhen Flot Istar of Svishtov, Slanchev Dar of Varna and Interport of Sofia. Concessionaires have been so far chosen for Lesport in Varna (BM Port) and for Somovit near Rousse (Oktopod-S). Concession procedures are under way for the terminals of Oryahovo and Vidin Centre.
Source: Pari (15.09.2005)

The general blueprint for the redevelopment of the Varna-East merchant port, on the Black Sea, into a tourism and entertainment area will be oked by an interdepartmental commission within a month, said Peicho Manolov, director of the Varna port authority. The project envisages the construction of a passenger and a multi-purpose terminal, a yacht marina, a business center, hotels and eateries. Foreign investors have already shown interest in the project which ensures that the necessary financing will be made available, said Manolov.
Source: Dnevnik (13.10.2005)

BGN 15 mln will be invested in port Varna in 2006. This is almost double the amount invested in the port this year. Overt the next five years, another EUR 150 mln will be necessary for the building of a new container terminal, as well as for the moving of the existing grain terminal.
Source: Standart (20.10.2005)

Two projects for lifting of high-voltage cables above the channel “sea-lake”are currently discussed in Port Varna SPJSC, the CEO, Mr. Danail Papazov announced. Thus, one of the limits for big ships acceptance and work in Port Varna - West, will be eliminated. According to Mr. Papazov, if the cables were lifted up, all the ships, which currently pass though Bosporus, would be able to stop in Port Varna.
Source: Dnevnik (20.10.2005)

Nobody wants to concession Varna-West port, the press service of the Council of Ministers said yesterday. Therefore, the Cabinet intends to terminate the concessioning procedure. This would have been the first local project for a “greenfield” port, because according to the procedure, the concessionaire was supposed to use their own funds to build quays and to operate them for 35 years. The minimum required investment was in the amount of BGN 16 mln.
Source: Sega (21.10.2005)

The Bulgarian Association of Ship Brokers & Agents warned a year ago, that urgent measures have to be taken for technological renewing and modernization of Varna and Bourgas’ infrastructure. Otherwise, a big part of the lade-flow through the Bulgarian ports will be re-oriented toward the Greek port of Thessaloniki. To some extent, this impacted the policy of the ex-government, which ratified some changes in the Marine Space Act, as to allow the ports’ concessioning.
Source: Pari (27.10.2005)

By an order of the transport minister Mr. Peter Mutafchiev the members of the Boards of Directors of Navigation Maritime Bulgare, Varna Airport, and Port Varna were shifted. The CEOs of the three companies will keep their positions.
Source: Darik Radio (01.11.2005)

Bulgaria's port of Varna, on the Black Sea, has budgeted 15 mln levs for the purchase next year of a traveling and a floating crane. The port spent 8 mln levs on new equipment this year. The new cranes, designated for the Varna-West and Varna-East terminals, are expected to boost cargo traffic by 50% and halve the port call of vessels carrying containerised cargo.
Source: Dnevnik (23.11.2005)

The National Social Security Institute's Top 50 of the most law-abiding employers with personnel of over 1000 employees, insuring a total of 112 403 people with average insurance income of BGN 599 during January-September 2005. The company is included in the list: 1. Nuclear Power Plant Kozloduy SPJSC - Kozloduy 13 Bulgarian Telecommunication Company JSC - Sofia 29 Asarel Medet JSC - Panagyurishte 35. Ideal Standard Bulgaria JSC - Sevlievo
Source: Other (24.11.2005)

The port of Varna, on the Black Sea, has proposed to build a new terminal for containerised cargo that will converge in one location all current reloading facilities. Major banks have shown interest in financing the project which would require around USD100 mln, including equipment costs, said the port's executive director Danail Papazov. The initiative is backed by the Bulgarian Association of Ship Brokers and Agents. The port currently has 2 cargo terminals, Varna East and Varna West. Cargo traffic via the Varna port is expected to increase by 20 percent to 100,000 TEU in 2005.
Source: Dnevnik (02.12.2005)

Bulgarian Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (BASBA) launched the idea of construction of a new container terminal in Varna's lake that is to replace the existing two terminals Varna-East and Varna-West, reads an open letter of the association addressed to the transport minister and the respective parliamentary committee. The idea was presented by the chairman of Varna port Ltd., Danail Papazov. Several banks have already show interest in the financing of the project, BASBA reported. Over the period between 2000 and 2004, the annual increase in the container transportation segment for Varna came to 20 percent, BASBA added, pointing out that for the all other Black Sea ports the rate was 36 percent.
Source: Pari (06.12.2005)

The Thermal Power Plant (TPP) Varna’s deal will not finish till New Year, Mr. Todor Nokolov, CEO of Bulgaria’s Privatization Agency, said. The difficulties are connected with conditions of the competence of the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (SCEWR) and the Ministry of Environment and Water of Bulgaria. However, the Russian bidder agreed that port Varna as a part of TPP Varna’s assets would not be sold and would remain public state property. In 2006, the companies from the prohibited list will be announced and offered for privatization. In the words of Mr. Nikolov the first ones will be water supply and sewerage network companies, as well as some water power plants.
Source: Monitor (09.12.2005)

Varna Port will have invested more than BGN 5.0 million in technical upgrade by the end of the year. The funds will be allocated to programmes for efficient servicing of the increased volume of cargo transportation. Yesterday the port received a new BGN 820,000 mobile machine for handling containers' cargoes bought from the Swedish KALMAR. In a week's time the port will receive two container towers for BGN 552,000. In 2005, the company will also buy a new mobile crane for BGN 2.2 million.
Source: Pari (09.12.2005)

The handling capacity of the containerised cargo terminal Varna-West, part of Bulgaria's Varna Black Sea port, will be expanded in 2006 to the tune of 1 mln levs, said Danail Papazov, executive director of the port. The investment program of the port for 2006 also envisages the purchase of one mobile and one floating crane with a combined price tag of around 5.5 mln euro. The new equipment is expected to increase the port's containerised cargo handling capacity by 50%. The aim is to improve the capacity of the containerised cargo terminal from the current 25-27 movements per hour to at least 30, reducing twofold the layover of the cargo vessels. Varna will become the first domestic port to switch to a system for electronic processing of the shipment documents of containerised cargo. The necessary software will be developed within the next 6 months. The port announced it will hike by 5% the handling charges effective from January 1, 2006. Cargo traffic via the port of Varna touched a fresh high in 2005, rising 14.6% year-on-year to some 8.5 mln tons. Revenues are up 20% to 40 mln levs. Net profit is seen at around 2 mln levs.(
Source: Dnevnik (30.12.2005)

Bulgaria's Varna port will post a BGN 2 million net profit for 2005, up by 35% year on year, CEO Daniel Papazov said. Income will rise by 18-20% to nearly BGN 40 million. By the end of 2005 the cargo handled at the port will reach 8.5 million tonnes, up by 14.6% compared with 2004. Transit cargo registered a considerable rise in 2005, reaching 400,000 tonnes from almost nil in 2003. The port handles mainly lead concentrate and commodities as transit cargo from West Europe to the Asian republics. Varna port's services will appreciate by some 5% in 2006, Papazov said. The new tariff has been already announced and contracts are being closed accordingly. Only some 5% of the regular clients have not yet renewed their contracts. However Varna port's fees remain more attractive than those of neighbouring ports, Papazov added. The port will invest some BGN 18 million in new equipment in 2006. As much as EUR 3 million will be used for the purchase of a floating platform, which will facilitate container handling.
Source: Pari (30.12.2005)