Three Seas Initiative acquires large share in Port of Burgas

This is the first investment in port infrastructure by the international forum’s development fund

The investment fund of the Three Seas Initiative (3SIIF) has acquired a significant share in BMF Port Burgas EAD, a major port operator in the Port of Burgas (Bulgaria), from Advance Properties OOD, who will retain a majority stake. This was announced yesterday by both sides involved in the deal.

The investment done by 3SIIF is the first such in port infrastructure. The Fund aims to drastically improve the infrastructure and connectivity in the Three Seas region, which consists of 12 EU countries in Central and Eastern Europe bordering the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Seas.

Port of Burgas – a strategic seaside business node

The Port of Burgas is an important infrastructure asset connecting the Three Seas Region with Central Asia and the Middle East, strategically located on the Black Sea coast and is the closest European Union port to the Bosphorus. The Port also acts as the primary maritime gateway to Sofia and Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s most developed and industrialised cities, through direct rail and road connections.

The investment will strengthen EU integration by decreasing infrastructural gaps and delivering broader economic benefits to the Three Seas Region by improving connectivity and increasing the Port’s capacity. 3SIIF aims to expand the operational capacity and capability of the Black Sea port through the extension of existing berths, the construction of new berths, the further modernisation of facilities and the improvement in the ability to handle new types of cargo.

Christian Roy, Investment Director at Amber Infrastructure, the investment manager of 3SIIF, noted: “The investment in BMF Port Burgas is an exciting opportunity to support the further growth of the Port in accordance with the Fund’s objectives. It also marks the first port sector investment of the Fund and the first direct investment in Bulgaria. The further development and continued modernisation of the Port will play a key role in filling the transport infrastructure gap in the southeast part of the Three Seas Region while delivering broader economic benefits to Bulgaria and the Region.”

On his part, Georgi Domuschiev, Founder and Managing Director of Advance Properties OOD, said: “We are very pleased with the transaction, which is a great success and an excellent opportunity for the Port.  For more than 10 years now, BMF Port Burgas has been substantially investing in the modernisation of the port terminals in pursuance of its growth objectives. The continuing development of modern concepts for port activities and services through sustainable and responsible investments in partnership with 3SIIF, will make a meaningful contribution to the transport integration and diversification in the region.”

The Fund’s previous investments comprise: Cargounit, Poland’s largest locomotive leasing business which is currently expanding within the Three Seas Region; Enery, a renewable generation company developing assets in the Three Seas Region, with a portfolio of operating solar generation assets in Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Slovakia; and Greenergy, a data centre platform aiming to service the compute and storage needs of the Three Seas Region.