River of Global Opportunity By Lani Jordan The Danube off ers near-perfect export access to the Black Sea and global markets. SEE MORE O rnate ancient castles and fortresses line the Danube River’s banks. Since Roman Empire days, invading armies have made it their corridor to central and northern European conquest. The azure cast of its waters under sunny skies inspired the lilting notes of one of the world’s best-known waltzes. But underlying the Danube’s deep cultural and historic signifi cance is a common theme: trade. In the 21st century, as has been true for millennia, the Danube is a commerce superhighway, enabling trade between dozens of European countries and creating access to global markets. Stretching nearly 1,800 miles, this is Europe’s second-longest river. Factor in connections via inland canals and Germany’s Rhine River and the Danube’s navigable length reaches 2,200 miles of continuous waterway from the Black Sea to the North Sea. Each year, 50 million tons of grains, fertilizers and industrial and manufactured products make their way along Watch a video on the Danube at chsinc.com/c. > Your CHS Connection 7