Port of Gdansk closes 2024 with record financial result

Strong ports mean a strong maritime economy. This can be seen in the example of the Port of Gdansk. This, Poland’s largest seaport, has been growing steadily, achieving very good results. In 2024, it handled 3559 merchant seagoing vessels, handling 77.4 million tonnes of cargo. It also generated a record net profit, estimated at around PLN 264 million.

2024 was a year of consecutive records for liquid fuels (up more than 1.8 million tonnes, or almost 5 per cent) and general cargo (up about 430,000 tonnes, or almost 2 per cent), with container traffic recording a nearly 10 per cent increase.

Ore transshipments also increased by 28 thousand tonnes, or 11 per cent. Rolling cargoes, i.e. ro-ro (up 3.6 per cent), are also in the positive. Last year also saw a 4.5 per cent increase in the number of passengers handled (cruise ships, ferries).

Last year, transshipments in the Port of Gdansk amounted to 77.4 million tonnes. However, if we exclude one cargo group, which was handled in exceptionally high volumes in 2022 and 2023, the figures are somewhat different. It is, of course, about coal.

– Ports of primary importance to the national economy handled more than 136 million tonnes of cargo in 2024. Excluding coal, this is close to 126 million tonnes. Juxtaposing these figures with those for 2023, we see that transshipments are at the same level. The difference is literally 0.67 per cent. Transshipments in our ports are at a safe level, which allows us to further develop and increase our potential,’ explains Arkadiusz Marchewka, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure.

In the case of the Port of Gdansk, if we exclude coal transshipments in the statistics, we have a total of 69.5 million tonnes in other cargo groups, which is nearly 2 million tonnes (2.8 per cent) better than a year ago.

Not only fuel records

Since Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, there have been changes in the structure of transshipments at Polish ports. The crisis in the energy commodities market has influenced an increase in dry and liquid bulk cargoes, which now account for the bulk of cargoes in ports.

In 2024, liquid fuels continued to be the dominant cargo group in the Port of Gdansk, at almost 40 million tonnes. For the past two years, transhipments of liquid fuels have been at record levels and account for 51 per cent of total transhipments.

In second place is general cargo (including containerised cargo) – 30.2 per cent. Transshipments here reached 23.4 million tonnes. With container operators, mainly the Baltic Hub Container Terminal – the largest container terminal on the Baltic Sea – handling 21 million tonnes (2.25 million TEUs). This is followed by coal with 7.8 million tonnes (10.2 per cent), other bulk such as aggregates or sulphur with 3.5 million tonnes (4.5 per cent) and grain with 2.9 million tonnes (3.7 per cent).

The change in the structure of transshipments is also related to the average capacity of the commercial vessels that called at the Port of Gdansk in 2024. During the year 3,559 vessels were handled (43 less than in 2023), with the average GT in 2024 being 1.6 per cent higher than in 2023 at 25,025 (the port handled more tankers and ocean-going vessels). There were also 60 cruise ships calling at the Port of Gdansk in 2024 – 18 more and 293 ferries – six fewer than in 2023.

– We have achieved a stable and balanced financial and investment position, which measurably affects the implementation of business strategies by our contractors and the performance of the Port of Gdansk. We also carry out our own investments and continuously commercialise previously undeveloped spaces. We care for the competitiveness and brand of the Port of Gdansk by constantly improving our management procedures, taking into account the needs of our stakeholders. All this contributes to good financial results, even in such difficult times,’ concludes Dorota Pyć, CEO of the Port of Gdansk. – We have also started work on the Strategy for the Development of the Port of Gdansk until 2060.

Higher profits and stable financial situation

According to preliminary data, the Port of Gdansk 2024 will close the year with a financial result of approximately PLN 264 million, higher than in 2023 by PLN 51.7 million (by 24 per cent). The main factors determining this increase are higher year-on-year sales revenue by nearly 6 per cent and lower costs, including a 3 per cent decrease in the cost of sales.

– The financial situation of ZMPG S.A. should be assessed as very good. Financial liquidity has been maintained at a stable, reasonable level. The return on net sales is estimated at the level of nearly 49 per cent, also higher than last year’s – adds Alan Aleksandrowicz, Deputy President of the Port of Gdansk for Finance and Security. – Taking into account the long-term time horizon and the scale of investments planned for the coming years, the Company’s financial condition is analysed on an ongoing basis, and the generated funds, in accordance with the Act on Ports and Harbours, are effectively invested for the development of the port, i.e. investments and repairs of port infrastructure.

Source: PortalMorski.pl