It has already been 5 years!16.09.2003 Five-year's operation of Gdansk Container Terminal Co. Gdansk Container Terminal has been operating at the Port of Gdansk since 1998. Precisely, on September 9, 1998 the articles were made that established the joint stock company named Gdansk Container Terminal. What was the idea behind the action taken by the founding shareholders? It seems here to be worthwhile bringing to mind the historical background that led to making the decisions mentioned above. For many years, the ruling centrally planned economy had also affected the seaports. At that time, the centrally-based authorities resolved that Gdynia become the predominantly general cargo-oriented port and financial means were made available to fund the construction of a container terminal in Gdynia. At the same time, situated in the Northern Port, a bulk cargo-designated port in Gdansk was under development. It is a matter of fact that either of the seaports, the one in Gdynia, as well as the Gdansk-based one remained, to a certain extent, of the universal character. While in Gdynia specific volumes of coal, grain and bulk cargoes were handled, in Gdansk the general cargo handling quays were operational. The Port of Gdansk handled significant volumes of line-based general cargoes, chiefly whole-vessel cargoes, as well as substantial amounts of steel structures and machinery destined for the overseas turn-key industrial plant developments implemented by Poland's foreign trade head office. At the point of decision-making concerning the location of the container handling facilities in Gdynia no forecasts were made as for the increased volume of container handling in the global cargo turnover. Neither was it envisaged that, given time, containers would take over commodities traditionally carried onboard conventional vessels (first containers were exclusively designed for high-value commodities), nor was a continued growth in the size of container ships providing inter-continental services. In the 1990s it became clear that failing to provide container services puts the port in a rather disadvantaged position. Simultaneously, being a sole port shipping containers to and from Poland, the Gdynia-based terminal started getting logistically "clogged". Additionally, a continuous growth in the container volume required a sustained growth in terms of quality level of logistical services. This concerned not only the port service itself (cargo shipment, handling, etc.), but, first and foremost, providing efficient services when it comes to record keeping and processing, state customs services, veterinary and sanitary services and alike. Due to "congestions" reported in this regard, the departure from the port of container holding imported commodities took 7 days on average from the time of arrival onboard a vessel. Such background brought about the setting up in 1992 of the Polzug organization dealing in container shipment from the sea ports standing on the North See - Hamburg and Bremenhaven to the inland-located terminals, Gdynia omitted. The time-saving factor was considerable. Within 72 hours at the latest of the arrival of an ocean carrier to the German and Dutch seaports, the cargo was available to the Polish importer, which, considering the credited purchase, remains of pivotal importance. The conditions described above provided the initiative team with the grounds to take measures with the purpose of developing a container terminal at the Szczecinskie Quay - another container handling berth in Poland. In what regard was it significant to the Port of Gdansk? - More efficient use of the infrastructure facilities dating from the end of 1980s at the Szczecinskie Quay.
- Creating new job opportunities for the port's employees.
- Acquisition of regular calls of container carriers that entails additional income from tonnage fees.
- Improving port's image as the one of a fully universal character.
The decision that had been made was, furthermore, of crucial importance to the port users. Owing to the needs of potential business partners, from the very beginning, the major emphasis had been placed on providing them with the favourable conditions as far as the inner logistics at the terminal is concerned, i.e. securing the importer with the rapid accessibility to the commodities. Implementing such measures enabled the departure of the container to the consignee as quick as within a few hours following the time of its discharge from the vessel. This was achieved as a result of successful persuading the employees of the Gdansk-based state control services to embark on the idea of shaping up the image of Gdansk Container Terminal as a customer-friendly port. As time passed by, the slogan "Your friendly Port" became the major advertising slogan of Gdansk Container Terminal. Ever since it became operational, Gdansk Container Terminal Co. has been making great effort to provide each and every participant of the container turnover with the top quality services. The successful accomplishment of the task was built on the mutual understanding and involvement of all authorities, mainly the Customs Office, the Sanepid (Sanitary and Epidemiological Control Services), Vegetation Quarantine Inspection, as well as the port-based veterinary surgeon. Substantial contribution towards the extended operation of the terminal was made by the Port of Gdansk Authority SA that rendered a wide range of assistance and care. The Szczecinskie Quay was provided with the necessary gates, as well as office spaces and staff rooms to facilitate serving its purpose. Moreover, the improvements were carried out to secure better working conditions of co-operating services, among others, the Customs Office and the Sanepid. Focusing on the constantly expanding container service at the Port of Gdansk became the priority measure hitherto adopted by the management boards of the majority shareholder of Gdansk Container Terminal Co. - the company of Port of Gdansk Cargo Logistics. The range of services rendered by Port of Gdansk Cargo Logistics Ltd. includes the direct utilization of the Szczecinskie Quay. Having recognized the needs of the terminal, the company have forwarded and deployed at the quay the adequate machinery and the top-rate specialist labor force. Aiming at the increased quality level of container handling at the Szczecinskie Quay numbers of substantial investments were made. A 100-tonne port crane was purchased, that is fully equipped for container handling, and the Poland's first ever straddle carrier designed for in-yard container handling. Capable of handling three layers of containers the carrier enables handling stuffed containers outside the overhead traveling crane-operated yards. Older, worn-out cranes and overhead traveling cranes carry out work almost without fail due to the continues effort on the part of the technical service provided by Port of Gdansk Cargo Logistics. Furthermore, the decision was made to extend the quay by 100 meters that will allow for servicing two vessels at the same time. This appears of vital importance as far as the ship owners' needs for time-efficient ship servicing are concerned. One of the container line serviced by Gdansk Container Terminal Co. is OOCL (Orient Overseas Container Lines) that charters three vessels - "Neva", "Nevskiy" and "Narva". The line provides the terminal with shipping connections such as: Hamina, St. Petersburg, Hamburg, Grangemouth, Antwerp and Rotterdam. Containers owned by other ocean shipowners are carried by the public line of IMCL (Inter Marine Container Lines) chartering the ships "Robert" and "North Express" on the route Gdansk, Hamburg, Bremenhaven. The most recently established container line is Containerships Oy that provides regular services from Gdansk on the route Aarhus - Helsinki - St. Petersburg. During the five years, we succeeded in winning a large number of business partners. As on today, the list of our clients shows over 100 business partners taking advantage of the Gdansk-based terminal. Gdansk Container Terminal guarantees to its partners in the first place: - professional and reliable container handling services;
- efficient customs, sanitary and veterinary clearance;
- reliable servicing of vehicle and rail carriers;
- efficient turnover cycle of empty containers due to the shipowner depot situated within direct reach from the quay and the ship;
- full range of services including repairs, washing and cleaning;
- flexible and competitive rates.
Additionally, Gdansk Container Terminal Co. renders cargo handling and stevedoring services to vessels, forwarders, as well as agents, providing vehicle and rail car servicing. We offer a whole range of services as regards container stuffing and stripping, regardless of the type of cargo: cargo packed in 12-meter long bundles such as steel, timber, cargo packed in bags and big bags on pallets and loose, passenger cars. In addition to the typical range of tasks performed at the cargo handling terminal, our offer to clients is further extended by services such as prior-to-contract consulting and advice, transport consulting and advice, as well as services in the field of, so called, port forwarding. Our major goal is to guarantee to our business partners increasingly advanced and comprehensive services as far as the container turnover is concerned. The involvement of all the players participating in the container handling services allows for the optimistic outlook into the future that will see the growing frequency of new vessel calls, as well as an increased number of containers. With the purpose to achieve this goal Gdansk Container Terminal Co. will continue its efforts to provide comprehensive solutions and to ensure the implementation of new projects aimed at improving the carriage of containers to and from the hinterland. |
