Cargo handling at the Port of Gdansk in the year 2001

11.01.2002

Over the year 2000 a volume of cargo handled at the Port of Gdansk had reached 16 543 544 tons of a wide range of commodities. While the volume of cargo scheduled for the year 2001 had provided for 16 496 thousand tons the Gdansk stevedores, in fact, succeeded in handling of as much as 17 162 371 tons - says Marek Czernowski, the Chief Dispatcher of the Port of Gdansk. As compared with the previous year, this means a substantial growth of more than 1 300 thousand tons of the handled cargo. We can, therefore, consider this past year a successful one.

Successful as though it may seem, the analysis carried out for the particular groups of cargo brought the conclusion that the actual success applies only to some of the cargoes. For instance, the schedule for coal handling failed to be accomplished. It had provided for 6 477 thousand tons, whereas the volume achieved amounted to 6 065 thousand tons. The reason for this deficiency lay in the falling rate of export, however, owing to the import rate it was possible to slightly improve the results, which, eventually, proved to be higher as compared with the year 2000 (5 908 718 tons). The fall was also reported in terms of, so called, other bulk cargo. Over the year 2001 a volume of the cargo handled reached 2 035 565 tons, whereas the schedule provided for 2 387 thousand tons. In comparison, the cargo handled in the year 2000 had amounted to 2 376 426 tons. In this regard, the major cause seems to consist in a falling rate of sulphur handling combined with a disadvantageous situation of the "Siarkopol" company. A fall was also reported at the "Chemiki" company (891 330 tons in 2001, as compared with 963 976 tons in 2000). A slight growth in the rate of grain handling appears to be a positive factor - 282 692 tons as compared with 265 456 tons in 2000, owing to the import of soya oil meal. There also was a growth in terms of general cargo handling at the Port of Gdansk of over 150 thousand tons (the actual volume of 1 630 914 tons), which resulted from a growing volume of steel products. When it comes to general cargo handling, an increasingly important role is played by containers. The schedule provided for 17 500 TEU, whereas the actually achieved results amounted to 20 475 TEU. However, the major position in the cargo handling balance had been taken by fuels. In this regard, a growth of over 1 274 807 tons had been reported due to transit oil. In 2001 a handling rate amounted to 3 623 thousand tons, whereas in the year 2000 - 2 790 thousand tons. In general, in the year 2001, a volume of fuel handling reached 7 032 thousand tons as compared with the scheduled amount at the rate of 5 700 thousand tons. This inconsistence results from the fact that it is hard to estimate the volume of fuel handling due to the variety of conditions it undergoes. To provide an even more detailed report on the results it's worthwhile mentioning that a volume of crude handled at the Port of Gdansk amounted to 108 259 tons (as compared with 74 432 tons in 2000) and we should be pleased that it has not disappeared from the Port at all.

As regards the schedule for the year 2002, a volume of coal handling has been estimated at a level of the actual throughput of cargo in 2001 - says Marek Czernowski. In compliance with a reported fall in coal export we have assumed the level of approx. 6 000 000 tons. Based on the estimated contracts with the Port of Gdansk Cargo Logistics Ltd. the rate of crude handling has been assumed at a level of 240 000 tons. In the view of a fall in sulphur handling - within the group "other bulk cargo" - the estimated volume of throughput amounts to 2 000 000 tons, that is slightly above the level of accomplishment in 2001. In terms of the grain handling a growth is predicted of a couple of percent as compared with the previous year, the estimated volume amounting to about 315 thousand tons. Timber will comprise a minor proportion at the level of 9 000 tons. As far as the general cargo is concerned, an increase in the throughput is predicted of 1 950 000 tons, including 21 500 TEU. In terms of fuel handling it was our intension to make a reserved estimations, as the sufficient data is not available as to the expectations for the year 2002 and it's rather hard to assume a repetition of the last year's situation. We, therefore, considered it suitable to adopt a balanced estimation of fuel handling at a higher rate as compared with the year 2000, though lower than in 2001. In this way we assumed an estimated volume at a level of 6 500 000 tons.

All the above estimations are the preliminary estimations, however, they are expected to be justified on the grounds of the results reported as early as the first quarter. It is our hope that any future amendments will only refer to a growing rate in cargo handling.