Polski
The Ministry of Infrastructure is coordinating work on a draft resolution of the Council of Ministers on the establishment of a multi-year program that operates under the name “Construction and expansion of access infrastructure to the port of Swinoujscie.” It is expected to be adopted by the government in the second quarter of 2023.
The program is scheduled to be implemented between 2023 and 2029 and is expected to provide adequate and secure access infrastructure for deepwater terminals in Swinoujscie. The work will be carried out by the Maritime Office in Szczecin, while supervision will be carried out by the minister responsible for maritime affairs.
About the port of Swinoujscie
The port of Swinoujscie together with the port of Szczecin form one of the largest complexes in the Baltic Sea. It is the closest full-sea port at the entrance to the Baltic Sea from the Danish Straits. It has an inland connection to the river road system of Western Europe. Its neighborhood with Germany makes it a transit point for European Union countries.
About the draft multi-year program
The description of the draft program reads that the construction of deep-water terminals in Swinoujscie is one of the most important economic investments in the country. It allows the port to become a transshipment hub. Situated in the outer port, the container terminal with a hub function will allow it to receive the largest container ships that can sail the Baltic Sea. Implementation of the program’s assumptions will make Swinoujscie a hub port for the Baltic-Adriatic-Mediterranean transport routes. Thus, it is expected to enable a change in the container handling model in the Szczecin-Swinoujscie port complex. Currently, the feeder option is in operation, and eventually ocean-going vessels will arrive at the port of Swinoujscie on direct intercontinental routes. Some of the containers from the ocean-going vessels will be transshipped to smaller feeder ships that serve the Baltic Sea basin.
The implementation of investments that will contribute to the full functionality of the terminals in the external port of Swinoujscie is a strategic action. It will strengthen and stabilize the market position of the Polish port complex, as well as increase its competitiveness.
The implementation of the program is also expected to improve the accessibility of, among others: the LNG terminal, the liquid fuels terminal of the Azoty Polyolefins Group, or the bulk cargo handling site (e.g., coal, iron ore, grain seeds).
The infrastructure built under the program will be used for both civilian and military purposes.
Investments planned for program implementation:
The program includes the following investments:
- To carry out works that will enable water transport to the outer port of Swinoujscie;
- Construction of a breakwater for the new external port in Swinoujscie;
- Purchase of a dredger for maintenance of the approach track to Swinoujscie and the Swinoujscie-Szczecin track.
Expected benefits of the program
It is assumed that the program is expected to bring benefits at various levels of both state and citizen functioning.
External costs of transportation are expected to be lower than before, which at this point are mainly borne by the public. These include expenses related to greenhouse gas emissions (primarily CO2) and other pollutants (particulates, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, volatile organic compounds), but also caused by accidents, related to the activities of emergency services (police, fire, ambulance), as well as increased numbers of vehicles (traffic jams, congested roads) and noise.
In economic terms, the indicated access infrastructure with equipment is expected to guarantee the possibility of uninterrupted delivery of raw materials to the ports of Swinoujscie, Szczecin and Police. This is to translate into ensuring state security.
The construction of the protective breakwater will increase the port’s accessibility and the number of ships, including container ships, that can enter the Baltic Sea.
In the long term, the construction of the infrastructure will serve the multidirectional development of the port of Swinoujscie, including the implementation of the objectives of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Transport and the Program for the Development of Polish Sea Ports. Both by 2030. The benefits for residents and the municipality are the creation of new jobs, revenues from local, corporate income tax (CIT) and personal income tax (PIT), or the transfer of employee expenses.
Program cost and funding sources
The project assumes funding of approx. 10.3 billion zlotys.
It is assumed that the activities resulting from the program will be financed from the state budget (part 21 – maritime economy) and from EU funds (Program European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, Environment 2021 – 2027 – FenIKS; Priority V: Support for the transport sector from the European Regional Development Fund, Activities: FENIX.05.02. Seaports and inland waterways in TEN-T).
The program’s impact on the water environment
According to the draft program, the aquatic environment will be negatively affected by dredging. The impact is expected to be temporary, at the time the work is performed, with the degree of impact depending on the quality of the ore to be exhausted. There may also be a periodic increase in the turbidity of the water, which will return to its original state after some time.
