The Baltic Hub is a new container terminal that has opened in Gdansk. Thanks to the investment, the Gdansk terminal will be among the largest in Europe and will be able to handle the largest container ships.
The T3 terminal project was carried out by a consortium of companies in which Budimex played a key role in cooperation with DEME Dredging. The project includes spectacular engineering projects such as the creation of an artificial island, the deepening of the seabed and the construction of a deep-water quay 717 metres long and 17.5 metres deep. The entire terminal area has been designed on 36 hectares, which have been delimited by reclaiming marine space – when, as recently as autumn 2022, the piece was covered by the sea. It took 4.3 million cubic metres of sand, 60,000 cubic metres of concrete and more than 17,500 tonnes of steel to flood the 36 hectares of sea space for T3.
It is not only the construction of the quay that attracts attention, but also the implementation of state-of-the-art technological solutions. As part of the investment, as many as seven modern STS (Ship-to-Shore) quay cranes and 20 semi-automatic RMG (Rail Mounted Gantry) cranes were purchased. The height of these cranes, ranging from 96 to 140 metres (depending on configuration), is testament to the scale and sophistication of the technology to enable the safe and efficient loading and unloading of goods. Thanks to the use of remote control systems, operators can work under optimised conditions, which is crucial in terms of continuity of operations 365 days a year.
Today we celebrate the inauguration of T3, one of the largest port investments in the Baltic Sea region. This event not only drives the economic development of Pomerania and Poland, but also strengthens the country’s position as a strategic participant in global trade,’ said Baltic Hub CEO Jan Van Mossevelde at the opening ceremony.
Baltic Hub is Poland’s largest container terminal and the only deep-water terminal on the Baltic Sea. Work was carried out 24/7, with the involvement of more than 500 specialists, and with respect for the environment and the surrounding space. During the construction phase, for example, state-of-the-art noise mitigation solutions and systems to protect marine mammals from the effects of hydraulic engineering works were used.
Last year, they handled containers of almost 3.3 million TEUs. This is an absolute record in the history of Poland and the Baltic Hub has a significant share in this (2.2 million TEU). What’s more, the figures show that in 2024 the value of customs duties, excise duties and VAT accrued is nearly PLN 56 billion, which is almost a billion PLN more than the year before. These are not mere numbers. This is proof that the Polish maritime economy is developing very dynamically. And we want this development to be even faster,’ said Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure Arkadiusz Marchewka.
Thanks to the new investment, the Baltic Hub will be able to handle up to 4.5 million TEUs annually. This volume is equivalent to half the handling capacity of the container terminal in Hamburg and a third of the handling capacity of the terminals in Antwerp-Brussels and Rotterdam.
source: Budimex, UM Gdańsk
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