The Port of Gdynia ended the first seven months of 2021 with a growth of 12.5% overall, and in particular an upward trend in container handling in TEUs can be observed, with an increase of 14% y/y.
Investments in infrastructure allow to significantly increase the transshipment potential of the Port of Gdynia. The domestic logistics sector is increasingly willing to use the services of Polish terminals on the Baltic Sea, which is facilitated by the improvement of access infrastructure, including modernisation of railway lines and sections of motorways and express roads opened in recent years.
Adjusting the quality of infrastructure to the growing expectations of the market is currently the main task of the Port of Gdynia Authority S.A., as investments improve the competitive position of the port in the Baltic Sea basin. The largest investments include “Dredging of the approach track and internal waters of the Port of Gdynia” and “Redevelopment of quays in the Port of Gdynia”, construction of the Public Ferry Terminal and reconstruction of railway infrastructure. The total value of infrastructural investments within the Port of Gdynia amounts to over PLN 4 billion.
In June this year, the rebuilding of the Northern Pilot Spur in the Port of Gdynia was completed and almost 40 metres were gained. Thanks to this, larger ships will be able to call at the port. That is not all. This investment will also improve navigational conditions in the port channel and the safety of hydrotechnical structures. The works on the groyne themselves consisted in widening the pilot entrance from the existing width of about 102 m to a minimum width of 140 m and obtaining a technical depth of 140 m. 140 m and to achieve a technical depth of 16 m. The total value of the works on the reconstruction of the Northern Spur amounted to PLN 16 million, and the duration of the investment was 14 months.
The Port of Gdynia also carried out a number of intensive works on the extension of the turning basin No. 2, which began with the dismantling of a large part of the Gościnny Quay. The entire project consisted of two tasks. The first one is “Dredging of the approach track and internal waters of the Port of Gdynia – Stages I and III” . This task is being implemented in three stages by two investors – Port of Gdynia Authority S.A. (Stage I and III) and the Maritime Office in Gdynia (Stage II).
In the first stage the turning basin no. 2 in the area of Basin IX was rebuilt – at the moment to the diameter of 400 m, and ultimately to the diameter of 480 m. The works included, among others, dredging to a depth of -13.5 m in the area of the rotary and demolition of the Hospitality Pier on a length of about 240 m. Ultimately, dredging to a depth of -16.00 m is planned, as well as the extension of the turning basin to 480 m, which will be possible after the transfer of the floating dock of the PGZ Naval Shipyard, currently located at Pier No. 2.
The commencement of related works is scheduled for 2022. The Maritime Office in Gdynia will carry out Stage II of the project in Task No. 1, consisting in deepening of the approach fairway to the port, beyond the breakwaters. The depth of the fairway will ultimately be -17.00 m, and its parameters will be adapted to handle ships with a width of 58 m.
Recently, on the premises of the PGZ Naval Shipyard, representatives of the Port of Gdynia Authority S.A. signed an agreement on the relocation of the floating dock. The investment is part of the first phase of the investment project “Deepening of the approach fairway and internal waters of the Port of Gdynia”. The investment will ensure the restoration of the dock’s functional and production capacity in a new location in connection with its relocation.
The new turning basin is another milestone in the recent history of our port – emphasised Jacek Sadaj, President of Port of Gdynia Authority S.A. – The investment will enable larger vessels with a length of 400 metres to call at the Port of Gdynia, serving direct ocean connections with the Far East and other continents. The location of the floating dock by the Slip Quay is another port investment, thanks to which we create optimal conditions for the development of our present and future clients. The benefits are mutual, and the shipyard itself will gain completely new business opportunities.
Within the framework of the agreement concluded, the Port of Gdynia will carry out the construction of a docking bay and the reconstruction of sections of the Southern Quay II and Western Quay I, where the floating dock will be transported. The other part of the project will consist in the reconstruction of Pier II, which will include, among other things, demolition of the pier head as well as securing its shortened face. The investment is to be completed within the next 18 months.
– The investment, which will be carried out by the Port of Gdynia Authority, is a part of the development strategy of PGZ Naval Shipyard as a part of preparations for the Miecznik program and other projects important for the Polish Navy. I believe that today’s agreement will be another important impulse in building the maritime economy ecosystem in Pomerania – said Paweł Lulewicz, the President of the Board of PGZ Naval Shipyard.
Thanks to the improvement of access infrastructure, bigger and bigger vessels are coming to the Port of Gdynia. In August, Hella, the largest Portuguese flag vessel in terms of capacity, moored in the Port of Gdynia. The vessel, whose owner is the world’s leading container carrier Hapag Lloyd AG, after loading at the Hutchison Ports Gdynia Terminal, set sail with the cargo directly to the ports of North America with a total load of about 1400 TEU.
We are delighted to be able to offer our customers additional support in the Atlantic trade, the second largest trade for Polish exports – says Lena Christenson Duus, Managing Director for Northern Regions at Hapag-Lloyd. – ‘By introducing an additional vessel to the schedule, we are clearly demonstrating our strong commitment to our local customer base in this challenging market situation,’ she continues.
In addition, there are once-a-week calls to ports in India and Pakistan.
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