The Ministry of Infrastructure has reported that Polish ports achieved a new record in 2022 by handling 133 million tons of goods. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and its unpredictable impact on energy policies have prompted increased investments in new port infrastructure.
The unexpected conflict in Ukraine increased the volume of oil and coal handling operations at Polish ports. Last year, the Port of Gdańsk recorded 68.2 million tons of handled goods. Coal handling increased by 175 percent, and wood handling – by 413 percent.
The energy crisis was a challenge for the Port of Gdańsk – a challenge that it has successfully overcome thanks to successful development projects implemented in recent years.
Last year witnessed the completion of one of the biggest projects in the port: “Upgrade of the fairway, extension of quays and improvement of navigation conditions in the Inner Port”, which cost more than PLN 595 million.
The next few years are 5 minutes for the Port of Gdańsk
At the moment, the maximum unloading capacity of the port is 88–90 million tons of goods per year. Already in 2023, this level is expected to amount to 78–80 million. That is why it is clear that Gdańsk will be gaining significance with each year.
Last year’s successful unloading operations brought a considerable profit, which will enable the future development, refurbishment and extension of the ports.
Construction of terminals T3 and T5
T3 – the third deep-water quay with a length of 717 m and a depth of 18 m at the Baltic Hub in the Port of Gdańsk. The construction of the terminal began on 28 November 2022, and it was intended to increase the container handling capacity. The project is scheduled to complete in the middle of 2024, and it will cost EUR 470 million. Thanks to this investment, the Baltic Hub will become one of the biggest container terminals in Europe.
Construction of the waterway connecting the Vistula Lagoon with the Gdańsk Bay
This is one of the largest ongoing projects, and its first stage is already complete. The next stage requires the alteration of the waterway along a section of approx. 10.4 km on the Elbląg River. A swing bridge with a length of more than 100 metres is going to be built in Nowakowo. The project is designed to facilitate vehicular traffic to and from Nowakowo Island. The works began in April 2021, and the bridge is scheduled to be commissioned already in Spring 2023.
The next stage is the construction of the waterway on the Vistula Lagoon with a length of approx. 8200 m along the section from the estuary of the Elbląg River to the Vistula Spit canal.
Expansion at Naftoport
At the moment, the annual oil handling capacity is 36 million tons, and the capacity for oil products is 4 million. Przedsiębiorstwo Eksploatacji Rurociągów Naftowych (PERN) has four facilities for the storage of oil, with a total capacity of 4.1.
2022 saw another handling record broken. This proves that it is necessary to expand the infrastructure, including the oil handling stations. As announced by PERN, the Naftoport is to be expanded with a deepwater station for the unloading of oil and oil products. It will be capable of receiving oceanic tankers with a length of more than 300 m and a width of up to 60 m.
The operators and business partners are also expected to invest in the port superstructure, i.e., storage spaces and handling equipment. The Port Gdański Eksploatacja company ordered two new mobile Liebherr 550 cranes, and it will receive them this year. There is also an ongoing procedure for the purchase of two more mobile Liebherr 280 cranes.
