DCT Gdansk celebrates Phase 1 completion

03.10.2007

The completion of the first phase of development of Poland's new deepwater container terminal, DCT Gdansk, is to be celebrated on 3 October 2007 with a reception onboard the cruise vessel "Lady Assa". DCT Gdansk management and directors will be joined by public, city and port officials, representatives from the international shipping community, and civil engineers involved in the construction process as the vessel sails from her berth at Motlawa in Gdansk's old town to DCT Gdansk's 650 m of completed quay.

With Phase One of the terminal development up and running, DCT Gdansk recently announced weekly calls by leading global container line CMA CGM and feeder specialist Team Lines, while Lithuania-based feeder operator ISN has also initiated a weekly call between DCT Gdansk and Kaliningrad. Alongside to greet guests at the facility tomorrow will be Team Lines' 868 TEU feeder vessel "Birkaland", providing a practical demonstration of Poland's most modern container terminal in action.

Commenting on the completion of Phase One of DCT Gdansk, CEO, Colin Chanter, said:

"This week we mark the culmination of more than two years' hard work and investment and I am proud of what everyone involved in the development of DCT Gdansk has achieved. The state-of-the-art container facility now in operation is a tribute to the dedication and professional approach adopted by our contractors and employees, and reflects the invaluable assistance provided by the various government and public authorities in Poland.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to the unwavering support of CMA CGM and Team Lines - two leading names in the shipping world that have been pivotal in turning DCT Gdansk into a commercial reality."

Also onboard to toast DCT Gdansk's official opening will be Frank Utes, Manager of Hochtief Construction AG Infrastructure Polska, which was responsible for the construction of Phase One of the terminal.

Said Mr Utes:

"The completion of Phase One of DCT Gdansk is a milestone in the development of Poland's maritime infrastructure, and indeed that of the Baltic region at large. Over the past two years, Hochtief has embraced its brief to build a modern and sustainable container terminal for the Baltic market by employing the latest construction techniques and materials available to us. The realisation of Phase One of DCT Gdansk is, however, a result of much more than excellent construction: it is a glowing testament to the achievements made possible by truly successful partnerships."

Now fully operational, Phase One of DCT Gdansk comprises a 36 hectare container terminal capable of handling 500,000 TEU per annum and a roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) berth adding an extra 160,000 freight units of capacity. The terminal's 650 m long quay is served by three post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes and five rubber-tyred gantry cranes, and offers 16.5 m water depth alongside. With tried-and-tested road and rail connections linking the facility to major inland distribution centres throughout Poland and its neighbouring countries, DCT Gdansk offers a new dimension in container port operations.

Phase Two of the terminal will be brought online according to demand, ultimately increasing the terminal's capacity to one million TEU per annum.

DCT Gdansk SA is a Polish registered company, majority owned by GIF (Global Infrastructure Fund), a specialist fund managed by a member of the Macquarie Bank Group, headquartered in Australia. The UK company established to initiate the design and construction of the terminal retains a minority shareholding.

Update
Celebration of completion of the first phase of development of Deepwater Container Terminal Gdansk in pictures: