Product 01 · Liquid Bitumen
Liquid bitumen
Operated to European standards in diathermic oil-heated tanks, with dedicated facilities and marine discharge arms — for clients in road infrastructure and waterproofing.
A difficult product to operate — made simple
Liquid bitumen is one of the most demanding petroleum products to handle: it must be maintained at high temperature throughout the logistics chain, has high viscosity, and losses through solidification in pipes or pumps can halt operations for hours.
At GPO, the entire bitumen infrastructure is dedicated — storage tank, operational tank for handling, pipes with diathermic oil circuits, marine arm at the quay and loading arms at road and rail ramps. No compromise of the “we’ll adapt an existing facility” type.
900000
t/year Romania consumption
100000
t/year domestic production
235
approx. mil. EUR import 2022
5000
m³ dedicated tank at GPO
Demand on the Romanian market
Bitumen is used primarily in the production of asphalt mixtures for roads and highways, but also in the manufacture of bituminous materials for waterproofing. Production in Europe has high costs (high consumption of electricity and natural gas in the refining process), so the product is imported in significant quantities both nationally and at European level.
In 2023, domestic consumption of road bitumen was approximately 900,000 tons, with a significant increase expected in the period 2023–2033, in line with road infrastructure projects planned to be financed.
The only domestic production capacity (~100,000 tons/year), the rest of the required quantities being imported, mainly from predominantly non-EU countries (approx. 235 mil. EUR import in 2022).
How we operate bitumen at GPO
Four dedicated elements that make the difference between a predictable operation and one with surprises.
5,000 m³ storage tank
Vertical cylindrical with ellipsoidal roof (D=18 m, H=22 m), with external thermal insulation, diathermic oil heating coils and integrated mixers to maintain product homogeneity.
500 m³ operational tank
Dedicated to bitumen handling (D=8 m, H=11 m), for small batches or preparation before loading. Same heating equipment and local heat exchangers that also allow product suction.
Marine arm at Berth 97
Dedicated discharge system with marine discharge arm (not flexible hoses), with remotely operated electric valves. Discharge rates 250–300 mc/h, with the vessel’s own pumps.
Diathermic oil pipes
All bitumen pipes are accompanied by diathermic oil circuits and thermally insulated, with temperature and pressure sensors along their entire length. Bitumen reaches the road or rail ramp at operating temperature.
Key specifications for bitumen operation
VESSEL DISCHARGE
Marine arm, electrically operated valves, rates 250–300 mc/h, vessel’s pumps
ROAD LOADING
Top loading, dedicated arms, rates 80–100 mc/h, full/empty weighing
RAIL LOADING
Dedicated loading arms for bitumen, rates up to 250 mc/h, fixed weighing at entry
Why GPO for bitumen
Compared to alternatives in the Constanța / Mangalia area.
- New technology, not equipment from the ’90s/2000s
- Efficient rail ramp — 6 wagons simultaneously, not a single arm with repeated maneuvers
- Own tariff policy, without state ownership interference
- Multimodal access — road, rail and river (not just road, as in Mangalia)
- Automated documents at the end of the operation, without manual bureaucracy
We operate your bitumen starting January 2027
We discuss volumes, delivery schedule, shipping modes and tariff. We respond within maximum 24 working hours.
