Deepwater Container Terminal Gdańsk (DCT), the Polish rail-based container terminal, has completed its rail expansion to an annual rail capacity of 750,000 TEU.
The rail terminal expansion, which started in 2018 and was completed in 2021, lengthened the tracks from 618 to 750 metres and extended the railway siding from 4 to 7 tracks, according to a statement.
In the meantime, the number of quay cranes on Terminal 2 has been increased to eight, the storage yard area has been expanded, and five electric-rubber tyre gantry yard cranes have been purchased to service them.
Additionally, an optical character recognition (OCR) camera system was put into operation for recording trains and containers in the terminal.
The new investment is anticipated to offer growth opportunities in inland markets and provide a more economic and greener alternative for DCT’s customers.
Charles Baker, CEO of DCT, stated that with this terminal upgrade, Port of Gdańsk’s terminal will double its current track capacity and will allow customers to access even more efficient rail services.
In addition, by using the shorter rail route between DCT Gdańsk and Central Europe, compared to other ports in Southern or Western Europe, customers could generate significant cost savings.
“We already boast the largest intermodal terminal in Poland, and are one of Europe’s ten largest railway container terminals, handling over 5,500 trains per year,” noted Baker.
Furthermore, DCT plans to develop intermodal services to and from Poland’s landlocked neighbouring countries and regions, such as Czechia, Slovakia, Western Ukraine and Belarus.
“We are directly represented in the Czech and Slovakian markets, which allows our southern neighbours to benefit from DCT’s forwarding capabilities, and through competitive delivery times and large-scale rail connections, we guarantee lower carbon emissions per container compared to other European ports,” claimed Baker.
Since becoming operational in 2007, DCT which is owned by PSA International (40%), Polish Development Fund (30%) and IFM Global Infrastructure Fund advised
by IFM Investors (30%), has built two terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with a total annual capacity of 3 million TEU.
