The Ministry of Infrastructure is not withdrawing from the investment in the Deepwater Container Terminal in Świnoujście – according to the ministry’s response to PAP. It was emphasized that this is one of the most important investments and that further actions are being taken to implement it.
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Rafał Jaśkowski, said in response to PAP that the development of the port in Świnoujście in the area of the planned container terminal is assured within the framework of the spatial development plan for the internal sea waters, the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone for this area adopted by the government on April 14, 2021. Jaśkowski recalled that this plan was widely consulted in the country and internationally, including: with the German side, both in terms of substantive decisions and in terms of the environment.
The spokesperson emphasized that the Deepwater Container Terminal in Świnoujście, the implementation of which is the responsibility of the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority, “is one of the most important investment projects in the maritime sector in Poland, included in the applicable strategic documents.”
Further measures are being taken to implement this investment, which will see the construction of a modern “hub” container terminal capable of handling the largest ships in the Baltic Sea at the seaport of Świnoujście.
– he assured.
Jaśkowski explained that the container terminal in Świnoujście will provide maintenance of seagoing vessels and will also have a developed network of “feeder service” connections in the Baltic Sea region.
He added that the terminal will be built east of the LNG terminal breakwater, in the “landed” area of the Pomeranian Bay. The transhipment quay will be approximately 1.3 km long and 17 meters deep, allowing the simultaneous handling of two seagoing vessels with a length of 400 m and one with a length of approximately 200 m. The terminal will have an area of approximately 70 hectares. According to the assumptions, the terminal in Świnoujście will eventually handle 2 million TEU annually (TEU is a unit of measurement that corresponds to the capacity, used in relation to ports and container ships, equal to the volume of a standard 20 foot container).
The investment will be carried out in two phases, the first of which represents half of the intended transshipment capacity, namely 1 million TEU.
The spokesperson added that the terminal will use modern, low-emission handling technologies.
It was assumed that the charging equipment at the terminal should be characterized by the lowest possible emission level of pollutants, dust, gases in the atmosphere and noise. The terminal will be equipped with an energy source to power ships in the port, so that the ships served at the terminal do not use their own generators at that time.
– he explained.
The Deepwater Container Terminal in Świnoujście will be designed, built and financed by an investor selected in a tender by the Szczecin and Świnoujście seaport authorities.
The MI representative indicated that in the context of the procedure regarding the operation of a container terminal, the bid from the consortium of Deme Concessions NV (Belgium) and Qterminals WLL (Qatar) had been selected.
It was recalled that after negotiations, a preliminary agreement was signed on July 10, 2023 in Szczecin obliging the conclusion of a 30-year definitive agreement on the use of real estate located in the Świnoujście seaport, intended for the operation of a container terminal.
The investment should be completed in 2028.
The spokesperson added that the Maritime Bureau in Szczecin is carrying out activities within the framework of the multi-year program “Construction and expansion of access infrastructure to the Port of Świnoujście in 2023-2029”, which will contribute to improving access to the Port of Świnoujście from the sea, including the planned container terminal. The program consists of three investment tasks. The first is to carry out works to enable water transport to the outer harbor in Świnoujście. The second is the construction of a breakwater for the new outer harbor in Świnoujście, and the next is the purchase of a dredger to maintain the approaches to Świnoujście and the Świnoujście-Szczecin track.
In October last year The Maritime Bureau in Szczecin signed a contract with the Maritime Construction Design Bureau “Projmors” from Gdańsk for the implementation of a navigation analysis, which should be completed by the end of February 2024. The Ministry of Infrastructure explained that the navigation analysis together with The track model mainly concerns the determination and establishment of detailed track coordinates in the context of the navigational safety of ships calling at the port – container ships and bulk carriers.
In addition, the Maritime Bureau in Szczecin announced a tender for a feasibility study, an environmental impact report, a spoil disposal report and additional studies, with bids open until February 12, 2024. In February 2024, a procedure for ferromagnetic intelligence was announced ( magnetic scanning).
Construction of a breakwater
As for the construction of the breakwater, the Maritime Office in Szczecin has announced a tender for the preparation of a geotechnical consultation, which will include the implementation of: offshore drilling and laboratory testing of water. The documentation is intended to enable future contractors to estimate the costs of constructing the breakwater, which will be implemented in the “Design and Build” formula. The future contractor of the investment will be required to prepare full geological and technical documentation to obtain the appropriate consents and permits for the construction of the facilities. Quotations for a geotechnical consultation can be submitted until February 9 and the winning company must prepare this within 170 days of signing the contract.
The first activities related to the purchase of a dredger will take place in 2025.
In accordance with the program adopted by the government in May 2023 entitled “Construction and expansion of access infrastructure to the port of Świnoujście for 2023-2029”, it was stated that this would cost approximately PLN 10.3 billion.
mly/PAP
Source: wPolityce