A time of major investments at sea. Strategic for the maritime economy [Polish Ports 2030 Congress]

Investments in seaports and their hinterlands have a key impact on port competitiveness and increasing transshipment. In Poland, both investments on the seafront and in the port hinterland form a coherent system that serves as a development lever for the entire maritime economy.

Listing all investments on the Baltic Sea is practically impossible, as there are so many. Let’s recall a few of the most important ones.

A Long List of Major Investments

The Vistula Spit Canal is a strategic hydrotechnical investment aimed at creating a direct connection between the Vistula Lagoon and the Bay of Gdańsk via a new shipping canal. Thanks to the project’s implementation, ships can reach ports located on the Vistula Lagoon without having to use the Pilava Strait in Russian territory. The investment increases Poland’s transport independence, improves the accessibility of the port in Elbląg, and creates new opportunities for the region’s economic, tourist, and logistical development. However, there is a clear need to complete work on the waterway in the Lagoon itself and in the port hinterland.

The LNG terminal in Świnoujście is a key element of Poland’s energy security system. The facility enables the reception of liquefied natural gas transported by sea from various directions, its storage, and regasification before its introduction into the national transmission network. The terminal’s expansion in recent years has significantly increased its import capacity, supporting the diversification of gas supplies to Poland and strengthening the energy security of the entire Central and Eastern European region.

The Świna River Tunnel in Świnoujście is a groundbreaking transport investment that, for the first time, provides a permanent road connection between the islands of Uznam and Wolin. The facility replaced the previous reliance on ferry crossings, significantly shortening travel times and improving the comfort and safety of residents, tourists, and businesses. The tunnel has streamlined the city’s operations, increased the region’s investment attractiveness, and improved access to strategic port and energy infrastructure.

The offshore wind farm service bases being built in Polish ports provide essential operational support for the dynamically developing offshore wind sector in the Baltic Sea. Investments implemented include: Projects in Gdańsk, Gdynia, Ustka, Łeba, and Świnoujście include the construction of quays, warehouses, logistics centers, and infrastructure for wind farm service units. These bases will be responsible for ongoing maintenance, servicing, and support for the turbines’ operation throughout their operational life, contributing to the development of local economies, the creation of specialized jobs, and the development of national competencies in the renewable energy sector. As part of the preparatory work for offshore projects, large offshore terminals are being built – the one already completed in Świnoujście and the T5 terminal currently under construction in Gdańsk.

Tens of millions of zlotys have been spent on projects related to deepening approaches to Polish ports, the construction of a turning basin in Gdynia, and new breakwaters. Roads have also been busy – we can now use almost the entire S6 expressway connecting the Tricity and Szczecin. The railway infrastructure behind the ports has been renovated, but we are still waiting for the Bydgoszcz-Tricity railway line (201) to be reopened.

Infrastructure Must Be Coherent and complementary

Professor Marek Grzybowski, publicist and president of the Baltic Maritime and Space Cluster, emphasizes that investments in maritime and land infrastructure must be coherent and complementary, and this is the case in Poland. This trend must continue. “The World Bank highlights the need to expand access infrastructure and efficiently manage entire logistics networks surrounding ports. Although it concerns container traffic, many logistics operators consider the CPPI (Polish Port Throughput Index), developed by the World Bank and S&P Global Inc., when planning their connection networks,” explains Professor Grzybowski.

The CPPI has become a recognized index allowing for comparison of the operational efficiency of ports operating in different economic systems. Therefore, the conclusions drawn from its analysis should be heeded by both logisticians and port and terminal managers. In this case, it is not enough to build a canal to Elbląg; good access infrastructure to the quays from both water and land must also be ensured.

In the case of Świnoujście, the launch of an intermodal connection offers the opportunity to relieve traffic congestion and reduce conflicts between freight traffic and passenger cars, which have gained access to the city through the tunnel under the Świna River. For Szczecin, a new development stimulus could come from clearing the waterway by constructing a “passing loop,” as announced by Undersecretary of State Arkadiusz Marchewka during the International Maritime Congress in Szczecin, Grzybowski believes.

Ports Must Be Secure

The role of ports and the infrastructure built around them must be twofold. First, they must serve transport and logistics purposes, but also build national resilience and security.

“Seaports and the industrial and logistics infrastructure located within them must be secure, as Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski emphasized during the Congress in Szczecin. Meanwhile, the Baltic Sea and its infrastructure have found themselves at the epicenter of a polycrisis. This is currently manifested by Russian activity targeting critical maritime infrastructure and GPS signal disruption. Shadow fleet voyages in the Baltic Sea pose a significant threat to Polish ports and maritime transport links. They also pose a threat to mining platforms and offshore wind energy infrastructure, including installation and service ports,” emphasizes Professor Marek Grzybowski. “Disabling ship identification systems and disrupting GPS systems destabilizes the information infrastructure without which ships, rail transport, and vehicles cannot function efficiently.” Transport disruption is part of a disinformation operation that also affects ports and the industrial, energy, logistics, and warehousing infrastructure operating within them.

At the Infrastructure Congress

The Polish Ports 2030 Congress, which will take place on June 23-24, will be one of the key industry events dedicated to the future of the port sector in Poland. The transformation of seaports from traditional transshipment hubs into complex, strategic economic ecosystems integrating logistics, energy, and modern technologies will be a key focus of the program. A highlight of the program will be a presentation entitled “Polish Ports 2030+: From Investment to a Strategic Economic Ecosystem,” prepared by Mateusz Kowalewski and Maciej Matczak.

A “Wave Chat” debate is planned immediately following the presentation, bringing together key decision-makers managing Polish seaports. The discussion will be attended by the CEOs of the three largest ports: Dorota Pyć (Port of Gdańsk), Piotr Gorzeński (Port of Gdynia), and Jarosław Siergiej (Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority). Mateusz Kowalewski, publisher of GospodarkaMorska.pl, will moderate the discussion. The panelists guarantee a high level of expertise and relevance to the infrastructure-related topics discussed.

The panel will provide an opportunity to discuss key directions for port infrastructure development, investment challenges, and the role of ports in building the resilience and competitiveness of the Polish economy. The discussion will also focus on the integration of ports with logistics infrastructure and their growing importance in the context of the energy transition and evolving supply chains in the Baltic Sea region.