The fashion for DCT - a seaward trend in the economy

25.07.2011

The formation of a strong front promoting the growth prospects of Poland's maritime economy has been greatly favoured by the visits of politicians to DCT - the most advanced terminal in the Port of Gdansk.

The Tri-city has recently played host to an increasing number of VIP guests. The agenda of meetings scheduled in connection with Poland's assuming the EU Presidency provides a good opportunity to establish closer relations with the Pomeranian business. This time, the Gdansk Business Club (GBC) hosted Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Waldemar Pawlak. The main focus of interest for the GBC members, who hold key positions in companies across the Pomeranian region, was the formation of a strong political front capable of taking up the struggle to streamline the Polish fiscal system and to remove political barriers that hinder the development of entrepreneurship.

This very issue became the focal point of the meeting held by Deputy Prime Minister, Waldemar Pawlak, with the management of DCT (Deepwater Container Terminal), operating on the grounds owned by the Port of Gdansk. The DCT's excellent location in the EU's easternmost ice-free Baltic seaport has proved conducive to the Terminal's continued rapid pace of growth. In the third year of its operation, DCT has exceeded the volume of 450 thousand of processed TEU, thus making Gdansk Poland's biggest container port.

Deputy Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak and DCT's CEO Boris Wenzel emphasized in unison the opportunity that had presented itself to the Polish ports. Thanks to the investment projects similar to DCT, they can now compete effectively with the Western European ports, seeking to take over the Asia - Central Eastern Europe shipping streams.
- The Government is fully aware of the significance that the container sector has to the Polish economy - said W. Pawlak - which has greatly benefited from the boost generated by the advanced technology in maritime shipping provided by DCT.

The assurance of the support from the Polish government in removing barriers preventing the Polish ports from effective competition was the obvious conclusion to the visit at the Gdansk-based container terminal. Even more so as the background to the discussions was the handling operation of 6,000 containers from the 397 metres long container ship "Evelyn Maersk" docked at DCT. The Deputy PM took this opportunity to visit one of the world's biggest container ships - a PS-class vessel with the 15,500 TEU capacity - from the series of ships calling at Gdansk on a weekly basis as part of the AE10 direct Asia service. As he stepped ashore, he shared the satisfaction similar to that expressed in May of this year by Prime, Minister Donald Tusk, upon his visit to DCT Evelyn's sister-ship, "Maersk Elba".
- I am very happy - said then the PM - that Gdansk can now truly become a hub port for our neighbours that have no access to the sea. I have talked with many people involved in the development of DCT and have been convinced of the need for the maximum coordination and concentration of efforts, also on the part of the Government and the Parliament, to remove barriers that hinder many business ventures. Here, as though in a lens, we can see the changes required for Poland to compete with the giants, such as Hamburg, Rotterdam or St. Petersburg".

PGA SA PR Officer