LUXEMBOURG CITY, LUXEMBOURG — Northern Bulgaria’s grain and bulk port operations are getting a boost from a €50 million ($54.6 million) loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to help finance a modern grain storage and transportation terminal at the Black Sea port of Varna.

EIB, the long-term financing institution of the European Union (EU), signed the agreement with Logistic Centre Varna EAD, part of Buildcom Group, to co-finance the grain terminal. The project will support food safety, promote less carbon intensive maritime transport and boost economic growth in the region by providing improved access to the export market for local agricultural producers.

Buildcom Group, which is Bulgaria’s largest privately held sunflower oil producer and leading grain trader, will integrate its logistics business and optimize grain and bulk port operations in the Varna area. The grain terminal is expected to become operational in the second quarter of 2026 and consists of a new quay, a silo and other storage facilities as well as a new railway and road access.

“With its modern facilities, the new terminal will provide local grain producers with an efficient and price-competitive access to the liquid international markets,” said Julian Stefanov, chief executive officer of Logistic Centre Varna EAD. “It will be an important gateway for Bulgarian grain exports and will increase the country’s competitiveness in maritime transportation.”

This is the first EIB transaction in Bulgaria in which a private company is benefiting from the support of the InvestEU guarantee. The InvestEU program spurs investment for EU policy priorities like the green transition, including through support for sustainable infrastructure.

The investment will fulfill the need for an efficient and modern grain port terminal in a less-developed region of the EU in terms of per-capita-GDP, underlining the EIB’s commitment to equitable growth.