Competitive edge

Szczecin-Swinoujscie Bi-Port, strategically positioned at the mouth of the Oder River, performs a significant role in the BSR. The port's central location in the BSR makes it one of the major market centres in the region and in Poland.

Its direct availability to the Polish, German and European waterway system provides suppliers a more competitive transportation cost structure with complete intermodal connectivity and adjacent real estate available for development. The port itself is the best-kept secret for those seeking to move goods fast and cost-effectively via water, air, truck or rail.

The economic results place both ports among the strongest competitors in the sector. As the biggest Polish bulk cargo handling centre, also servicing Panamax type vessels, ferries and Ro-Ro vessels, Swinoujscie port offers most modern ferry terminals in the BSR. One of the major investment projects in the bi-port is currently development of the distribution and logistics center.

According to the plan, a distribution and logistic centre will be built on 30 hectare land situated along Hryniewieckiego and Kujota Streets, the main transportation route in the immediate vicinity of the transhipment facilities for conventional general cargo, and a container base on the Ostrów Grabowski Island, currently under construction. In 2004 -2006, the Szczecin and Swinoujœcie Seaports Authority, implementing the investment, will provide land improvement and infrastructure necessary for the functioning of the Centre. The implementation plan includes the construction of roads, car parks for trucks, together with utility facilities, railway tracks, transformer stations and 15 kV MV and 0.4 kV LV electricity supply lines, lighting of internal roads, telecommunication ducts, rainwater drains and sanitary sewage system. The comprehensive investment will make the port's offer more attractive, improve conditions for cargo handling and storage, create possibilities for developing professional distribution, as well as improve client service by introducing electronic cargo identification and tracing. Connections between the Logistics Centre, container terminal and a well-established, common road system will strengthen functionality of the two investment projects. The construction of the Centre will be financed through the Sectoral Operational Programme - Transport for 2004 - 2006. At the moment, talks are underway with PKP Cargo to include railway sites in the Distribution and Logistics Centre, together with the existing railway tracks. The tracks will constitute a basis of developing an intermodal terminal with storage yards, warehouses and railway transhipment equipment.