The Ministry of Infrastructure has not stepped back from funding the Deepwater Container Terminal project at Świnoujście, according to a response given to PAP. Officials stressed that this remains one of the most significant investments in Poland’s maritime sector and that ongoing actions are in place to move it forward.
Rafał Jaśkowski, the ministry’s spokesperson, told PAP that the Świnoujście port development, within the scope of the planned container terminal, is secured under the spatial development plan covering internal sea waters, the territorial sea, and the nearby exclusive economic zone. This plan, adopted by the government on April 14, 2021, underwent extensive consultation within Poland and abroad, including substantive discussions with German partners regarding decisions and environmental considerations, Jaśkowski noted.
The spokesperson underlined that the Deepwater Container Terminal, managed by the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority, is among the most important investment projects in Poland’s maritime sector and is listed in the current strategic documents.
Additional measures are being taken to implement the project, which aims to create a modern hub container terminal capable of handling the Baltic Sea’s largest vessels at the Świnoujście port.
— Jaśkowski assured.
He explained that the Świnoujście container terminal will support maintenance for seagoing ships and will feature an integrated feeder service network connecting the Baltic region.
The terminal is planned to be located east of the LNG terminal breakwater in the landward part of the Pomeranian Bay. The transshipment quay is projected to be about 1.3 kilometers long with depths of around 17 meters, enabling the simultaneous operation of two large vessels of roughly 400 meters in length and one vessel near 200 meters. The terminal is expected to cover an area of about 70 hectares and is anticipated to handle up to 2 million TEU annually, with TEU representing the standard unit for measuring port and container ship capacity equal to one twenty-foot container.
The project will unfold in two phases, the first delivering half of the planned throughput, or 1 million TEU. The spokesperson added that the terminal will employ modern, low-emission handling technologies to reduce environmental impact.
It was stated that the terminal would feature charging equipment designed to minimize emissions of pollutants, dust, and gases, while noise levels would be kept as low as possible. An on-site power source is planned to supply ships within the port, preventing ships from using their own generators while berthed.
— Jaśkowski explained.
The Deepwater Container Terminal at Świnoujście is to be designed, built, and financed by an investor selected through a tender run by the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaport Authorities.
In the context of the terminal’s operation, the MI representative noted that the bid from a consortium of Deme Concessions NV (Belgium) and Qterminals WLL (Qatar) had been selected. After negotiations, a preliminary agreement was signed on July 10, 2023, in Szczecin, binding the parties to a 30-year definitive lease for real estate in the Świnoujście seaport intended for terminal operations.
The investment timetable foresees completion in 2028. The Maritime Bureau in Szczecin is advancing activities under the multi-year program Construction and Expansion of Access Infrastructure to the Port of Świnoujście in 2023-2029, which aims to improve sea access to the port, including the planned container terminal. The program comprises three main tasks: enabling water transport to the outer harbor at Świnoujście, constructing a breakwater for the new outer harbor, and acquiring a dredger to maintain the approaches to Świnoujście and the Świnoujście-Szczecin route.
In October of the previous year, the Maritime Bureau in Szczecin awarded a contract to the Maritime Construction Design Bureau Projmors of Gdańsk for a navigation analysis, with completion expected by February 2024. The bureau explained that the navigation analysis together with the track model focuses on determining precise track coordinates to support navigational safety for container ships and bulk carriers visiting the port.
Furthermore, the Maritime Bureau in Szczecin issued 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).
Regarding the breakwater, the Maritime Office in Szczecin has issued a call for a geotechnical consultation, which will include offshore drilling and laboratory testing of water samples. The resulting documentation will enable future contractors to estimate breakwater construction costs under a Design and Build contract. The winning firm will be required to prepare complete geological and technical documentation to secure the necessary permits and approvals. Bids for the geotechnical consultation may be submitted by February 9, and the chosen company must deliver within 170 days of signing the contract.
The initial steps toward purchasing a dredger are planned for 2025. The government-endorsed program from May 2023, titled Construction and Expansion of Access Infrastructure to the Port of Świnoujście for 2023-2029, estimates the total cost at around 10.3 billion Polish zlotys.
Source reporting: wPolityce and PAP. These details reflect ongoing governmental and regional planning and development efforts to enhance the port’s capacity and its broader maritime infrastructure in Poland.