Cargo handling at the Port of Gdansk

12.11.2001

The always changing autumn weather conditions are usually associated with a fall in the cargo handling. Fortunately, this year, the situations proved to be quite the opposite. This results not only from the favourable weather conditions, but mainly from high quality work performance carried by the port team together with the related services.

High rate of efficiency achieved in the Port of Gdansk has a direct and immediate impact on the results shown by the Port of Gdansk Cargo Logistics Ltd. In October this year the stevedores working for the Company handled 305 thousand tons of cargo, whereas last year (present structure of the Company has been adopted to enable clear comparison) - 191 410 tons. The growth in cargo handling is obvious, which also applies to the entire ten months' period. Over the ten months' time of 2001 the Company handled 2 636 801 tons, whereas during the corresponding period of 2000 - 2 231 319 tons.

High level of results obtained by the Company is the adequate description of the general situation in the Port of Gdansk, says Marek Czernowski, the Chief Dispatcher at the Port of Gdansk. From January to the end of October 2001, a total number of 14 564 105 tons of various kind of cargo had been handled in the Port of Gdansk (as compared with the corresponding period of 2000 - 13 556 064 tons). To a great extend this relies on the growth in crude oil handling - by nearly 1 mln tons of transit crude oil - but also on the increase in volume of general cargo - mainly handling of rolled products - by 140 thousand tons (1 344 320 tons in 2001 as compared with 1 198 779 tons in 2000) as well as grain - by 20 thousand tons (250 181 tons in 2001 and 225 796 tons in 2000). The same rate was recorded for coal handling - 5 028 238 tons in 2001 and 5 159 411 tons in 2000 and ore handling - 73 213 tons in 2001 and 74 432 tons in 2000. However, a fall of about 200 thousand tons occurred in bulk cargo handling - 1 734 037 tons this year, whereas in 2000 (over the ten months' time) - 1 983 568 tons.

Satisfactory results recorded in October provide the optimistic forecast for the annual results in cargo handling at the Port of Gdansk. Maintaining the current trends will enable the Company to conclude this year's operation with a favourable balance, whereas the overall result of the entire Port of Gdansk is expected to improve by approx. 0.5 mln tons as compared with the previously estimated schedule that provided for 17 200 thousand tons.