The PCK refinery in Schwedt, Brandenburg, has received a shipment of South American crude oil delivered via the Polish port of Gdańsk. The delivery compensates for the loss of Kazakh oil after Russia shut off transit through the Druzhba pipeline in May. Polish infrastructure has become a critical link in maintaining fuel supplies for both eastern Germany and western Poland.
The shipment was organized by Polish fuel distributor Unimot Paliwa and transported using the Naftoport terminal and pipeline network operated by PERN. The crude arrived at the refinery, which until 2023 relied on Russian oil, but switched to alternative sources after the EU embargo following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The exact volume of the delivery has not been disclosed.
Russia halted the flow of Kazakh oil via the Druzhba pipeline in May, cutting off roughly one-fifth of the feedstock needed by the Schwedt refinery. The plant, which supplies fuel to parts of Berlin, Brandenburg, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, as well as western Poland, has been operating at reduced capacity since then. The new delivery is expected to stabilize operations at about 80% of maximum throughput.
Poland’s role in European energy security
– “Polish maritime and transport infrastructure contributes to ensuring energy security for both Poland and Germany,” – said Robert Brzozowski, vice president of Unimot Paliwa, in a statement. PERN confirmed it is “carrying out the transport of crude oil delivered by sea to Gdańsk for the PCK refinery in Schwedt,” using its infrastructure to pump the crude to Germany.
The delivery underscores how Poland’s investments in port and pipeline capacity, including the Naftoport terminal and the Pomorska pipeline, have turned the country into a regional hub for non-Russian crude. The reversal of the Druzhba pipeline flow, which originally carried Russian oil west, now allows Polish ports to supply refineries in Germany and the Czech Republic.
Long-term outlook for Schwedt refinery
– “This is good news and another sign that all involved parties are working to secure the long-term operation of the plant and fuel supplies for eastern Germany,” – said Dietmar Woidke, premier of Brandenburg. The refinery, with about 1,200 employees, produces roughly 2 million tonnes of fuel annually for western Poland. Since the start of 2023, no Russian crude has reached Schwedt, forcing operators to diversify supply routes.
The Polish route is now the primary option for maintaining Schwedt’s operations. While the refinery has explored other alternatives, such as rail deliveries from the Baltic coast or additional pipeline connections, the Gdańsk–Schwedt link remains the most reliable. The success of this shipment may encourage similar arrangements in the future, reducing Europe’s dependence on Russian energy infrastructure.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. KPRM / Flickr.com / CC 4.0 BY-NC-ND
