During the opening day of the Polish Ports 2030+ Congress, a dynamic Wave Chat discussion was devoted to container terminals and their future development prospects. Participants explored the factors expected to drive the container market in the coming years, the growing potential of Central Europe, and the need for further investment in intermodal transport and port infrastructure.

The panel featured Jan Van Mossevelde, CEO of Baltic Hub, Wojciech Szymulewicz, President of the Management Board of BCT – Baltic Container Terminal, and Jan Jarmakowski, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports Gdynia. The discussion was moderated by Bogdan Ołdakowski, President of Actia Forum.

The debate opened with a discussion on the potential growth drivers for Poland's container market. Among the key factors expected to shape the sector over the coming years were the launch of new deep-sea services and the strengthening of connections with global trade routes.

– The market growth we anticipate will largely be driven by the expansion of deep-sea shipping services. The number of calls by large container vessels will continue to increase, and with it more shipping lines will choose to expand their Baltic connections, significantly broadening the range of services available – Wojciech Szymulewicz emphasised.

One of the main challenges facing Polish ports, the panellists agreed, is the need to further develop intermodal infrastructure. They pointed out that the landlocked countries of Central Europe depend on foreign seaports for access to global markets. Their choice of gateway will largely be determined by the quality of transport connections and the efficiency of logistics corridors. Against this backdrop, the insufficient development of transport corridors was identified as one of the most pressing obstacles.

Jan Jarmakowski offered a more cautious perspective on the discussion, highlighting the pace of port infrastructure development in Poland.

– I would not be quite so optimistic about the development of Poland's port infrastructure. New deep-water terminals are being built in many countries, and they could become serious competitors to Polish ports in the future. Our strategy envisaged the delivery of three major port projects, yet none of them has been completed so far – said Jan Jarmakowski.

The discussion also addressed port governance models and the potential for closer cooperation between the Port of Gdańsk and the Port of Gdynia. Participants considered whether stronger coordination—or even a joint management model—could help remove barriers slowing investment projects and enhance the competitiveness of both ports.

Addressing the issue, Jan Van Mossevelde referred to the successful cooperation between the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge. In his view, closer integration of port management could accelerate investment projects and allow the Tri-City ports to make fuller use of their combined potential.

– We should work together in order to achieve greater growth collectively. Perhaps it is worth considering a unified management structure for the two Tri-City ports – Jan Van Mossevelde stressed.

Jan Jarmakowski responded positively to the proposal, expressing his support for closer cooperation between the two ports. In his view, better coordination could foster stronger growth for both Gdańsk and Gdynia.

– I'm pleased this topic has been raised. I like to think of Gdynia and Gdańsk as a single 'dual-port' – said Jan Jarmakowski.

The discussion then turned to the key factors shaping the future of Poland's container market. Panellists considered the influence of geopolitics, economic conditions and global trends in logistics and trade.

Jan Van Mossevelde pointed out that one of the principal growth drivers continues to be the strong performance of the Polish economy.

– The Polish economy has been growing very dynamically for many years. GDP growth translates into higher consumption, while the government is delivering numerous infrastructure projects. All of this increases cargo volumes. Another important factor is the expansion of port infrastructure, particularly deep-water terminals capable of accommodating larger vessels and additional cargo volumes. The key challenge, however, remains ensuring adequate landside access to the ports – he said.

Wojciech Szymulewicz emphasised that Poland is increasingly strengthening its position as the logistics hub of Central Europe. According to him, this trend is reflected in the growing number of warehouse developments, particularly in central Poland, as well as the rapid expansion of the country's logistics infrastructure.

– An increasing number of containers are arriving in Poland not because the final customer is located here, but because the goods are stored in Poland before being distributed to Germany, the Czech Republic and other countries across the region. Customers order products online, track their shipments and see that they have been dispatched from Poland. This demonstrates that Polish logistics companies are handling a significant share of the Central European market – he explained.

He added that this trend is expected to continue.

– I believe this trend will be sustained, and that Poland's container market will continue to grow dynamically for at least the next three years – he concluded.

Jan Jarmakowski approached the issue from a global perspective. He noted that worldwide container throughput has been growing broadly in line with the global economy over recent years, at approximately 3% annually. This year's growth rate may be somewhat lower due to geopolitical tensions, conflicts in the Middle East and the impact of international sanctions.

Nevertheless, he stressed that modern port infrastructure remains the decisive factor in attracting cargo, not only because of access to maritime transport but also thanks to efficient road and rail connections.

– Poland's geographical location, which for many years was regarded as a disadvantage, is now becoming one of our greatest assets. However, we must seize this opportunity and deliver the necessary investments faster than our neighbouring countries. Otherwise, they will capture part of the cargo flows – he stressed.

POLISH PORTS 2030+ CONGRESS

The fourth edition of the Polish Ports 2030+ Congress, Poland's only nationwide conference entirely dedicated to the seaport sector, was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Sopot on 23–24 June 2026. Previous editions of the Congress have proved highly successful, with last year's event attracting more than 900 participants and over 80 speakers.

The conference was held under the Honorary Patronage of the Ministry of Infrastructure, with the Polish Press Agency (PAP) serving as the principal media patron. The event was supported by 80 partner companies and institutions and organised by Gospodarka Morska Sp. z o.o., the publisher of GospodarkaMorska.pl.