Photo: Wojciech Wrzesien/Shutterstock
Four Romanian public officials and two other defendants have been indicted over the alleged fraudulent procurement of two tugboats that were supposed to improve navigation on the Lower Danube River but were delivered with drafts too deep for their intended operations.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced Monday that it had filed charges against four officials from Romania’s Lower Danube River Administration (AFDJ Gala?i), an individual, and a company in connection with the €7 million project, which was financed through the European Union’s 2014–2020 Large Infrastructure Operational Programme.
The two multipurpose, ice-class tugboats were intended to support navigation along the Lower Danube, including during periods of low water, and assist vessels in distress.
However, prosecutors allege that the tender process was deliberately structured to favor a single supplier.
According to the EPPO, the procurement specifications included technical requirements designed for seagoing vessels, even though the tugboats were intended for inland waterways. The requirements effectively restricted competition and favored one company.
The vessels were delivered in 2021, but prosecutors say they failed to meet a critical contractual requirement.
Both tugboats had an actual draft of 2.6 meters, exceeding the maximum allowable draft of two meters specified in the contract.
Despite the discrepancy, the four public officials allegedly approved the vessels and signed final acceptance documents falsely certifying that the tugboats met the required technical specifications.
The additional 60 centimeters of draft significantly limits where and when the vessels can operate safely on the Danube, particularly during periods of low water—the very conditions they were intended to help address.
An individual and a company are also accused of assisting in the alleged scheme.
Prosecutors estimate that the procurement caused approximately €7 million in losses to the EU budget, effectively putting the entire EU-funded investment at issue.
The indictment has been filed with a court in Ia?i, Romania. If convicted, the defendants face prison sentences ranging from three to ten and a half years.
The EPPO, which investigates and prosecutes crimes affecting the European Union’s financial interests, emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The case highlights the consequences of procurement failures in publicly funded maritime infrastructure projects, particularly when vessels delivered under government contracts cannot fully perform the operations for which they were purchased.
Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update
Essential maritime and offshore news, insights, and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox
The European Union unveiled a new Arctic strategy Tuesday aimed at strengthening maritime security, expanding icebreaker capacity and protecting critical infrastructure as melting sea ice opens new shipping routes and...
(Bloomberg) — Two countries signaled interest in sending ships to counter Houthi strikes in the Red Sea, top European Union diplomat Kaja Kallas said. Kallas has been pressing countries to...
European Union spending on Russian Arctic LNG has already surpassed last year’s total, even as the bloc prepares for a broader phaseout of Russian energy imports. EU countries paid an...
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
