Poland has officially launched the first stage of the Gdański Agro Terminal, a state-controlled grain hub in the Port of Gdańsk designed to significantly boost the country’s export capacity. The investment, worth over half a billion złoty, is expected to handle its first vessel on the opening day and ultimately reach a throughput of nearly one million tonnes of grain per year.
The terminal, operated by Port Gdański Eksploatacja, a wholly state-owned company, received its occupancy permit on Monday. Deputy Infrastructure Minister Arkadiusz Marchewka confirmed that the first ship is scheduled to dock later in the day. The initial phase adds 30,000 tonnes of storage capacity and increases annual transshipment capabilities to nearly one million tonnes.
The project is far from complete. Over the coming years, a complex of 24 silos with a total capacity of 100,000 tonnes will be built, along with a new quay and expanded road and rail infrastructure. The road and rail segment alone is valued at over 380 million złoty, bringing the total investment beyond half a billion złoty.
Strategic infrastructure for Polish grain
The government’s goal is to secure strategic control over grain handling facilities. – Gdański Agro Terminal will be a 100 percent Polish terminal, operated by a company fully owned by the State Treasury. We want strategic grain transshipment capacity to remain under state control – Marchewka stated.
The terminal is designed primarily for state-owned grain trading entities such as Krajowa Grupa Spożywcza and Elewarr. It will be able to load vessels carrying 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes of grain at a time, improving the competitiveness of Polish exporters on international markets.
First shipments and export prospects
The Ministry of Agriculture expects the new infrastructure to quickly translate into new export contracts. Advanced talks are underway with Egypt as a potential first destination for Polish grain deliveries. The timing of the terminal’s launch coincides with the harvest season, when pressure for efficient grain evacuation is highest.
– Thanks to this investment, we are increasing the storage capacity of Port Gdański Eksploatacja by 30,000 tonnes, while transshipment capacity rises to nearly a million tonnes annually – Marchewka added. The concurrent redevelopment of the Wiślane Quay and construction of new handling yards and rail-road systems are already in the implementation phase.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Adam Warżawa / PAP
