While handling used cars shipped in containers from overseas by customers and collectors from across the region is nothing new for Gdynia Container Terminal (GCT), the transshipment of completely new cars from a brand entering the Polish market for the first time is a novelty. This type of cargo recently appeared at the terminal thanks to GCT's expanded operational capabilities.

It all began with the container depot operated by GCT in Gdynia. Thanks to a 4.25-hectare plot on Logistyczna Street, Hutchison Gdynia was able to offer something no other terminal or depot does: a package of terminal and depot services that streamline container operations.

"This year, we held numerous talks with different shipping lines and freight forwarders to promote the use of this area. The entire yard on Logistyczna Street is integrated with our temporary storage warehouse, so all customs procedures are identical in both locations. The yard is fully monitored, secured, meets all standards, and has a new surface. It’s an ideal site for the automotive sector," says Adam Czartowski, Commercial Director at GCT.

Clients quickly recognized GCT's new potential. IFB, one of the terminal’s partners, decided to leverage it for their new customer – a Chinese car manufacturer just entering the Polish market. As a result, at the end of August, a container ship docked at the Bulgarian Quay, delivering among other goods, brand-new passenger cars packed in containers.

The cars – cleverly loaded two or three units per 40-foot container – were unloaded from the ship and transported to GCT’s depot, where the unloading process began. It’s a procedure that requires great precision and experience from the stevedores. The client knew they were in good hands.

"We work with many clients who import used cars from overseas through GCT, so we have a stevedoring team that knows how to extract vehicles from containers," says Marcin Ćwikliński, CFS Manager at the terminal. "What’s new for us is handling brand-new cars."

The loading and unloading procedure is more complex than it might seem. When three cars are placed in one container, the first vehicle has its front lifted and supported with a welded steel beam, allowing another car to fit partially underneath. All vehicles are secured with special straps and wooden beams. After removing the first two cars, the third – the elevated one – must be carefully lifted with a forklift to remove the steel beam and place the vehicle on its wheels. The dimensions of the container leave little room for error – if the forklift raises the car too high, it can hit the ceiling, and there's very little space on the sides. The experienced GCT team takes about 40 minutes to unload three vehicles from a single container.

Interestingly, the cars are shipped with a small amount of fuel in the tank – just enough to drive them out of the container and onto a truck. This complies with IMO regulations and customs requirements.

Thanks to the modern depot and the experienced team of Hutchison Ports Gdynia, the operator of GCT, brand-new cars manufactured just weeks earlier in distant Asia now arrive in Poland and go straight to the brand's newly opened showroom. They are likely to soon find new owners. For GCT, this type of transshipment is a first, but it seems likely to become a regular occurrence – if the brand gains popularity in Poland, more containers with cars will follow.

As Adam Czartowski emphasizes, this is not the end of the terminal’s new capabilities. GCT recently expanded its insurance package for ship and cargo handling. It now allows for the handling not only of container and general cargo vessels but also of Ro-Ro ships. This enabled the terminal to recently assist in servicing vessels carrying American military equipment – something that had previously been impossible due to insurance limitations.