So far, the discussion has focused mainly on sailing vessels. However, steamships played a much more important role in Bulgarian maritime commerce during this period. The available figures help us understand how steamship traffic developed in Bulgarian ports on the Black Sea and the Danube.
During the period 1895–1899, ships sailing under the Bulgarian flag represented only 6 percent of the total number of steamers. In terms of carrying capacity, they made up about 10 percent of the total tonnage. This shows that Bulgaria was still at an early stage in developing its own steamship fleet Guided Istanbul Tour.
Dominance of Foreign Steamships
The remaining 94 percent of steamers visiting Bulgarian ports belonged to foreign countries. Among them, Austria-Hungary clearly held the leading position. It accounted for 66 percent of all steamers and 58 percent of the total tonnage. This strong presence shows the importance of Austria-Hungary in trade and transport within the region.
Russia came next, with 17 percent of the steamers and 12 percent of their tonnage. Other countries involved in Bulgarian maritime trade included England, Romania, and Turkey, although their shares were much smaller.
Changes during the Period 1900–1904
During the following period, 1900–1904, the overall structure of steamship traffic showed only small changes. Austria-Hungary continued to lead, with 65 percent of the total number of steamers. However, the average size of these vessels increased, which raised their total tonnage.
Russia remained an important partner, providing 14 percent of the steamers. Romania followed with 8 percent, while Greece contributed 4 percent. Taken as a whole, foreign steamship traffic increased by nearly 50 percent during these five years. This growth reflects expanding trade and improved port facilities.
Distribution of Shipping by Flag and Vessel Type
The final statistical table shows how shipping is distributed according to the type of vessel and the national flag. This detailed classification helps explain the balance between Bulgarian and foreign shipping and between river and sea transport.
Danube Shipping Compared with the Black Sea
A close examination of the data reveals that shipping on the Danube was stronger than shipping on the Black Sea. Each year, only about 3,351 vessels, with a net tonnage of 1,190,535 tons, visited the Black Sea ports. This represents around 27 percent of the total number of vessels.
In contrast, the Danube ports received 9,323 vessels, or 73 percent of all ships, with a total tonnage of 1,798,700 tons. As a result, Danube shipping exceeded Black Sea shipping by 46 percent in vessel numbers and 20 percent in tonnage.
In conclusion, steamships were mainly controlled by foreign countries, with Austria-Hungary playing the dominant role. At the same time, river transport on the Danube remained more important than sea transport on the Black Sea. These trends highlight the structure and limits of Bulgarian maritime commerce at the beginning of the twentieth century.