Refrigeration plant for fish products in the Port Free Zone

07.08.2006

On the premises of the Port Free Zone in the Port of Gdansk, a large-sized refrigeration plant "Deep Sea Fishing Port Gdansk" will be constructed, designed for the handling and storage of fish products. By way of a tender process announced by the Port of Gdansk Authority SA, the Warsaw-based company North Atlantic Fish Producers Organization has been selected for the implementation of the project.

The major commodities hitherto handled on the premises of the Port Free Zone in the Port of Gdansk included motor vehicles and citrus fruit. In the wake of a rapidly growing turnover, especially cars, and in view of the alterations that will result from the widening of the port entrance, there is an increasingly high demand for storage yards. Works are therefore currently underway on the construction of storage yards that will accommodate imported motor vehicles. At present, the Port Free Zone is also planning to build a large-sized handling and storage refrigerating plant with an area of approx. 8 thou. m2. The total area of land under the lease amounts to over 1.5 ha. Acting in line with its powers, the Port of Gdansk Authority SA has signed a land tenancy agreement for a period of 10 years with the North Atlantic Fish Producers Organization. However, while the investor is interested in a longer term of lease, a petition has been filed with the Ministry of State Treasury requesting approval of extending the lease to 30 years.

The company North Atlantic Fish Producers Organization in Warsaw was established in 2003. It comprises Polish deep sea fishing companies Atlantex and Arctic Navigations that operate trawlers/fish processing vessels "Andres Gdy-38", "Wiesbaden Gdy-157" and "Polonus Gdy-36". These trawlers are fishing in the North Atlantic area for redfish, shrimps, cod and mackerel, using the fishing quota allocated to Poland. Shrimps and processed fish are traded on the European Union market. The North Atlantic Fish Producers Organization is Poland's first fishing industry organization recognized by the European Union, and is a member of the European Association of Fish Producers Organizations - EAPO.

According to the agreement, the North Atlantic Fish Producers Organization will make an investment of at least PLN 40 million in the construction of the "Deep Sea Fishing Port Gdansk".