A press conference was held at the Port of Szczecin with Arkadiusz Marchewka, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure, concerning the planned container terminal that will be built in Świnoujście. This project is expected to become a key investment both for the development of the maritime economy and for the country’s security.

The press conference also revisited the concept of Cape Pomerania, originally presented during the ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the ports of Szczecin and Świnoujście. The first stage of its development is the creation of the Deepwater Container Terminal in Świnoujście. While the terminal will cover 70 hectares, the entire Cape Pomerania area will span 186 hectares. A number of investments are connected to this, including the recently signed PLN 700 million contract for the renovation of the Nadodrzanka railway line (CE59). The Deputy Minister also mentioned the commissioning, two weeks earlier, of the final section of the S3 expressway linking the north and south of Poland.

“We are carrying out these activities with a sense of responsibility for Poland’s development. We see Cape Pomerania and the new port in Świnoujście as a key, strategic investment, because today ports are an essential component of our broader security. Not only economic, but also energy and military. The port can fulfil all of these functions, which is why we will invest in it ambitiously. The new port in Świnoujście is not an investment for one term of office, but for decades, and we must prepare it as well as possible. We approach this investment ambitiously, professionally and in a way that will offer the greatest benefits to the port and the Polish maritime economy,” said Arkadiusz Marchewka.

“Today, with great pride and joy — and I must say, emotion — we would like to inform you about the most ambitious project in the 75-year history of our company: we will build a new port on the Baltic Sea, Cape Pomerania. It will be the first deepwater port in Western Pomerania, whose heart and most important element will be a deepwater container terminal. ‘Deepwater’ is the key word, as it means that the approach channel and port will have a depth of 17 metres. And that means the world’s largest container ships will be able to call here — the same ones that have so far called at Gdańsk. For us, this is a historic opportunity to join the European ‘Champions League’ of ports,” emphasised Jarosław Siergiej, CEO of the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority.

“As part of its mandate, the Maritime Office in Szczecin will provide access infrastructure in the form of a new eastern approach fairway, which will be a major operational and engineering undertaking. We will deepen 70 kilometres of the waterway to the aforementioned depth of 17 metres and a width of around 500 metres, so that ships can safely call at the new port, while also creating an alternative route to the existing quays and the external port, including the LNG terminal. All of this will be possible thanks to funding secured from the state budget, and the project will also involve modernisation of navigational markings and the vessel traffic service to ensure safe and uninterrupted navigation. I am proud that the Maritime Office in Szczecin will contribute to this development, to the creation of a new project and to the growth of the entire maritime economy of Poland,” said Wojciech Zdanowicz, Director of the Maritime Office in Szczecin.

“We naturally have ambitions for this port to become the most modern port and terminal on the Baltic. We want the port to be built with respect for the local community and the natural environment. We foresee a zero-emission terminal, equipment powered by renewable energy, and intelligent system solutions that will eliminate congestion and traffic bottlenecks, enabling cargo handling in a timely manner and with respect for the environment and local residents,” stated Krzysztof Sadowski, Vice-President for Infrastructure at ZMPSiŚ.

As part of Cape Pomerania, a container terminal will be built with over 1,300 metres of quay length, allowing — in its final configuration — simultaneous handling of three vessels, including the largest ones, up to 400 metres long, 50 metres wide and with a draft of up to 15 metres. Additionally, a completely new rail and road system will be constructed on an area of over 47 hectares. Two access tracks of more than 3 km each will be built leading to the terminal. The terminal itself will include a rail siding with 10 tracks, each 800 metres long. A 2 km road will also be built, and an area of 5 hectares will be allocated for trucks waiting for cargo operations. Moreover, complete water, sewage, and energy infrastructure will be created, along with facilities for safety services (customs, border guard, and emergency points).

Importantly, the infrastructure will be located 4 km away from Świnoujście’s urban transport system, ensuring it does not affect passenger traffic in the city or region. The road layout has been designed to optimise the project in coordination with the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways and the rail network operator.

The Deepwater Container Terminal in Świnoujście will be built east of the LNG terminal, on a pier extending into the sea, protected by a breakwater from the seaward side. To reclaim the 186 hectares of land mentioned, more than 20 million tonnes of sand will be needed. At the same time, the approach fairway must be deepened, and a turning basin and harbour basin must be built, requiring the extraction of up to 19 million tonnes of material. The investment is scheduled for completion in 2028. Its goal is to strengthen the position of Polish ports in the Baltic Sea basin and turn them into key nodes of global supply chains for Central and Eastern Europe. Ultimately, the terminal will be able to handle up to 2 million TEU per year. The Belgian-Qatari consortium DEME CONCESSIONS N.V. and QTERMINALS W.L.L., responsible for the deepwater container terminal investment in Świnoujście, received approval from the then Deputy Minister of Infrastructure to lease 75 hectares of land in Świnoujście for 30 years.