One million TEU at DCT Gdansk

30.06.2011

The Deepwater Container Terminal (DCT) - the wunderkind of the Port of Gdansk - marked another milestone in its history on 29th June 2011. The local shipping milieu is already used to joining the celebration of the landmark achievements that thanks to DCT again glorify the name of the one-thousand-year-old seaport in the world. On Wednesday afternoon, "Emma Maersk" (398x56 metres) - the first in a series of the eight largest container ships currently operated in the world (15,500 TEU) - docked at DCT, bringing the millionth TEU handled by this terminal. The very word "currently" is by all means significant since A.P. Møller-Maersk - the Danish tycoon in the world's container shipping - has already commissioned 'triple-E' class carriers (400x59 metres), with the 18,000 TEU capacity and the maximum draught of 14,5 metres, making it possible for them to call at Gdansk.

The great number of delegates attending the event, representing port and shipping companies as well as institutions and maritime authorities, were welcomed by Boris Wenzel, CEO at the Deepwater Container Terminal. In his keynote address, he praised the great contribution to the success provided by the current President of the Board at PGA SA, Ryszard Strzyzewicz, and by today's City Mayor of Gdansk, Andrzej Bojanowski, who was responsible for the port's finances at the time of the DCT's investment decision-making. Mr. Wenzel particularly expressed his thanks to Professor Witold Andruszkiewicz, a visionary and a practitioner in the field of the port's reality. Invited to share their reflections with the audience, all speakers unanimously emphasized that putting Gdansk to the world sea shipping map indeed required determination and courage on the part of the many decision-makers. The terminal, which was launched in autumn 2007 at a cost of 200 million euros provided by the Australian fund Macquarie Group of Companies, amazed even the most ardent skeptics with its rapid growth. Therefore, it is irrelevant today whether we consider Gdansk as "a collective-distributive port" as described in Professor Andruszkiewicz's projections made half a century ago, or as a hub, using the contemporary expression. What really matters to us is that following its three-year's operation, DCT handles 46% of Poland's total seaborne container turnover, thus becoming the leader among Poland's maritime terminals. According to Mr. Wenzel's outlook for the next year, DCT is planning to come second on the Baltic Sea, only giving ground to Sankt Petersburg.

PGA SA PR Officer

P.S. The photographs show crowds of spectators attesting to the considerable interest raised among the local residents as well as visitors to the Pomeranian Region by the arrivals of the ocean-going giants at the Port of Gdansk. This view brings great joy to the eyes and hearts of the people of the sea. Once a week, from Wednesday to Saturday, the ships can be watched from the beach adjacent to DCT (access from Kontenerowa St.) or from the area of MOSiR (i.e. Municipal Sport and Leisure Centre) in Stogi.