The spokesman for 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 ensured under the spatial development plan for 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 environmental terms.
One of the key projects
The spokesman 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 key investment projects in the maritime sector in Poland, included in the applicable strategic documents.” “Further actions are being taken to implement this investment, thanks to which a modern +hub+ container terminal capable of handling the largest vessels in the Baltic Sea will be built in the Świnoujście seaport,” he assured.
Jaśkowski explained that container terminal in Świnoujście is to provide servicing of ocean ships, and is also to have a developed network of “feeder service” connections in the Baltic Sea region.
He added that the terminal is to be built on east of the LNG terminal breakwater, in the “landed” area of the Pomeranian Bay. The transshipment quay is to be approximately 1.3 km long and 17 meters deep, which would allow for the simultaneous handling of two ocean-going ships, 400 m long and one approximately 200 m long. The terminal will have an area of approximately 70 ha. According to the assumptions, the terminal in Świnoujście is to ultimately handle 2 million TEUs annually (TEU is a unit of measurement corresponding to capacity, used in relation to ports and container ships, equivalent to the volume of a standard 20-foot container).
Two stages of investment
The investment is to be implemented in two stages, the first of which means half of the target transhipment capacity, i.e. 1 million TEU.
The spokesman added that the terminal is to use modern low-emission transshipment technologies. “It was assumed that the reloading equipment at the terminal should be characterized by the lowest possible level of emissions of pollutants, dust, gases into the atmosphere and noise. The terminal will be equipped with an energy source to power ships while staying in the port, so that the units serviced at the terminal do not use time of their own generators,” he explained.
When will the container terminal in Świnoujście be built?
Deepwater Container Terminal in Świnoujście it is to be designed, built and financed by an investor selected in a tender by the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority.
The representative of MI indicated that as part of the proceedings related to the operation of a container terminal, the offer of the consortium of Deme Concessions NV (Belgium) and Qterminals WLL (Qatar) was selected.
It was recalled that after negotiations, on July 10, 2023, a preliminary agreement was signed in Szczecin obliging to conclude a 30-year final agreement on the use of real estate located within the sea port of Świnoujście, intended for operating a container terminal.
The investment is to be completed by 2028.
The spokesman added that the Maritime Office in Szczecin is carrying out activities under the multi-annual 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 Port in Świnoujście. The second one is the construction of a breakwater for the new external port in Świnoujście, and the next one is the purchase of a dredger to maintain the approach tracks to Świnoujście and the Świnoujście–Szczecin track.
In October last year The Maritime Office in Szczecin signed a contract with the Maritime Construction Design Office “Projmors” from Gdańsk for the performance of a navigation analysis, which is to 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 determination of detailed track coordinates under in terms of navigation safety of ships that will call at the port – container ships and bulk carriers.
Additionally Maritime Office in Szczecin announced a tender for a feasibility study, an environmental impact assessment report, a report on spoil disposal and auxiliary studies, under which offers can be submitted until February 12, 2024. In February 2024, a procedure for ferromagnetic intelligence (magnetic scanning) is to be announced.
When it comes to construction of the breakwater is the Maritime Office in Szczecin announced a tender for the preparation of a geotechnical opinion, which will include, among others: offshore drilling and laboratory tests of water. The documentation is intended to allow future contractors to estimate the costs of building the breakwater, which is to be implemented in the “Design and Build” formula. The future contractor of the investment will have to prepare full geological and engineering documentation in order to obtain appropriate consents and permits for the construction of the facilities. Offers for a geotechnical opinion can be submitted until February 9, and the winning company will have to prepare it within 170 days of signing the contract.
The first activities regarding the purchase of a dredger are to be carried out 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 is stated that it will cost approximately PLN 10.3 billion. (PAP)
author: Michał Boroń
