Press Releases

Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority joins European Federation of Inland Ports (EFIP)

01 September 2016

EFIP is delighted to welcome Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority as a new member.

The Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority - a joint-stock company with the majority interest of the State Treasury, is responsible for two ports that are of primary significance for the Polish economy: the ports of Szczecin and Świnoujście.

The port complex of Szczecin-Świnoujście is one of the largest complexes in the Baltic area. The ports have access to a well-developed hinterland transport system, since they are part of the Trans- European Transport Network (TENT-T). They are connected with the European highway system by the A11 and A20 highways, and with southern Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia by the national road no 3 (E-65). Both ports have also favourable railway connections within Poland, as well as with Western and Southern Europe. As the only Polish sea ports, the accessibility to the inland shipping is an undeniable asset.

The specific location of the ports in Szczecin and Świnoujście makes them complementary to each other. Thanks to its location at the coast, Świnoujście doesn’t only provide highly effective ferry connections but also offers access for bigger vessels with draught up to 13,2 m. The port in Szczecin, located 68 km away from the sea, is accessible for vessels with draught up to 9,15 m. Situated much closer to consignees and consigners of the handled cargo, the port gives the opportunity to reach the land by the cheapest sea transport mode. In Świnoujście, the main activities take place in the terminal for dry bulk cargo and in the ferry terminal for connections to/from Sweden. Szczecin offers services both to general cargo (containers, steel products, forest products and heavy lifts) and to bulk cargo (dry and liquid). Both ports also offer services for agri-food products. The yearly turnover of the port complex amounts over 23 million tons.

For several years, the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority has been one of the largest investors utilising EU funding in the region. In 2007- 2013, both ports implemented projects worth more than PLN 600 million, co-funded by the EU. The plans for 2014-2020 are even more ambitious: the Port Authority intends to carry out investments worth PLN 1.3 billion. Another PLN 2 billion is the amount of planned investments to improve the access to both ports, which will be carried out by other entities. All this will create a new quality in the handling of cargo and investors. The priority of investment activities is to improve the accessibility of the ports and the quality of services. For this purpose, new quays are built and existing ones are upgraded for handling larger vessels. Thanks to the development of port infrastructure in Szczecin, the main quays offering services to bulk and general cargo will have a depth of 12.5 m in the coming years. In Świnoujście, the depth will be 14,5m. In addition, the ferry terminal in Świnoujście will be adapted to better serve intermodal transport. There is also the idea of building deep-water quays in both ports, in order to meet the ever increasing requirements of the market.

Dariusz Słaboszewski, CEO of the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority, said: “The accessibility of the Szczecin-Świnoujście port complex - the only Polish seaports - to inland shipping, which is regarded by the European Union as the most environment friendly one, is an undeniable asset. Such access to the inland water system of Western Europe has a special meaning for the service to the German market. Barges used for transit transport passing through Szczecin and Świnoujście go to major economic centres in the region of Berlin and Brandenburg. We hope that as a member of EFIP we can better promote to huge potential of the shipping capacity of the Oder River which is going to be improved as well.”

EFIP President, Hans-Peter Hadorn, said: “I am delighted to welcome the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority to EFIP as the first Polish member of our European Association on the Baltic-Adriatic corridor. EFIP represents the interests of nearly 200 (inland) ports and supports multi-modal connectivity of ports to the hinterland. Therefore, thanks to their strategic location at the mouth of the Oder River and their ambition to untap the potential of the Oder River, I believe EFIP is the perfect platform for them to connect to other ports facing or having faced similar challenges.”

EFIP Director Alexander van den Bosch said: “I am very pleased to welcome our first ever Polish member of strategic importance in the Baltic area. I am looking forward to close cooperation with the colleagues from the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority on European affairs and especially on discussing and designing EU’s new transport and corridor policies. I am convinced that, together with the expertise and participation of Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority, we can promote on the EU-level the importance of strong and sustainable hinterland connectivity, multimodality and the potential of increased shipping capacity on the Oder River for the EU’s economy.”

Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority
Bytomska 7 St., 70-603 Szczecin, Poland Tel. +48 91 43 08 220
Fax: +48 91 46 23 412
Website: www.port.szczecin.pl
E-mail: info@port.szczecin.pl

Background information on EFIP
The European Federation of Inland Ports (EFIP) brings together nearly 200 inland ports and port authorities in 17 countries of the European Union, Switzerland and Ukraine. EFIP also has an observer member in Serbia. Since 1994, EFIP has been the voice of the inland ports in Europe. EFIP highlights and promotes the role of inland ports.

EFIP actively follows all developments in the field of EU policy of importance to inland ports and represents the inland ports vis-à- vis the European institutions and other international bodies. EFIP offers its members the possibility to exchange information, expertise and best practices with colleagues in other countries.

For further information, please contact: info@inlandports.be

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