The role of ports in developing Danube cities: perspectives and future possibilities

: Over time, the Danube has been a significant transportation hub, with a key role in developing a specific category of urban settlements: port cities. Several factors influenced the expansion of these cities, each with a different intensity and impact. Based on the historical context, port cities have experienced both times of evolution and periods of decline. This paper aims to analyze two port cities in Romania by highlighting the role of ports and related activities in the economic development of cities. The port cities of Galați and Brăila were chosen as case studies; in these cities, the role played by their ports as engines of development in the two cities was investigated. The analysis revealed that after 1990, the change of political regime and transition to an open market economy affected the economic situation in the two cities studied. Nowadays, ports have much smaller importance in the economies of both studied cities. This research is important as a starting point for understanding the current issues of the two cities and finding potential solutions.