Budimex commences work on the construction of a new Terminal for Baltic Hub

On November 28, 2022, Baltic Hub (formerly DCT Gdansk), the operator of the largest container terminal in the Baltic Sea, began the construction of the third deep-water terminal T3. When completed in the second quarter of 2025, the new terminal will have a quay wall 717 meters long and 17.5 meters deep. It will be the third deep-sea quay of the Baltic Hub, which can handle the largest container ships in the world. The new terminal will also provide 36.5 hectares of additional operating space. In total, the investment is worth 450 million euros. The T3 project, which will open to commercial operations after the completion of the first phase in the first half of 2024, is a testament to Baltic Hub's ambition to build the largest container hub serving Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltic States and become one of the largest container terminal hubs in Europe.

Investment timeline

The construction of the T3 project will be carried out in two stages. In the first phase, a consortium of Budimex and DEME will build a 36-hectare terminal next to Terminal 1. This new terminal area, which will be completed by the first half of 2024, will be fully recovered from the sea. This will increase the transshipment capacity of Baltic Hub by 1.5 million TEU (20-foot containers) to 4.5 million TEU per year. In the second phase, the construction of a quay wall with a length of 717 meters and a depth of 17.5 meters will begin. It is expected to start in early 2023 and end in the second quarter of 2025.

The T3 project also includes the purchase of seven shore cranes that are capable of operating the world's largest ships, as well as 20 semi-automatic rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMG) for the container yard, which operators will be able to control remotely from ergonomically designed workspaces. This will allow for a safer, efficient, modern and more comfortable working environment 365 days a year.

The ceremony of laying the cornerstone was attended by the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure Marek Gróbarczyk, representatives of the Polish Development Fund and the Baltic Port in Gdańsk and the main contractors Budimex and DEME Dredging International.

The commencement of construction works at the new T3 Baltic Hub terminal completes the stage of work on executive designs and preparation of the construction site.  These activities have been carried out as part of the so-called "early start" since the Signing of the agreement by the Budimex - Deme consortium in July 2022. Now the consortium is starting work on the construction of a new terminal. The dredging of the fairway to the new terminal and the landing of the water area for its basic structure begins. These works will be carried out, among others, by a special dredging ship and using the appropriate material from the bottom to construct the platform for the terminal. In addition, the consortium begins to build tight walls around the future terminal.

"We have completed the design and preparatory work. It is time to start the basic works on the construction of the T3 Baltic Hub. In the coming months, we will expand the land territory of the Polish by 36 hectares. We have exceptional experience in the field of hydrotechnical works at the largest investments in the country. We will use this knowledge and experience of our engineers together with the equipment in the construction of the new terminal. The construction works themselves assume the execution of excavation works with a cubic capacity of over 4 million m3, the construction of a mooring line with a length of over 700 m. The T3 terminal itself will have an area of over 360,000 m2, an operational depth of 17 m and will be semi-automatic, which is a novelty in Poland and a trend currently present in the world" – says Cezary Łysenko – Director of the Infrastructure Construction Division of Budimex SA.

Laurent Closset, Regional Director for Northern Europe at DEME:"We are proud to be helping to build this terminal where we will carry out dredging and land reclamation work. We look forward to working with our partner in the consortium, Budimex, to combine our expertise to contribute to the implementation of ambitious development plans of the Baltic Hub".

New possibilities for T3

Baltic Hub is the largest container terminal in Poland and has experienced rapid growth from having only one deep-water quay and a capacity of 500,000 TEU when it was established 15 years ago, to becoming a true "Baltic Hub" with two deep-sea quays that handled over 2.09 million TEU in 2021 with a total annual capacity of up to 3 million TEU. At the moment, the Baltic Hub has 1,300 meters of quay, 14 Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes and an annual capacity of 2.7 MTEU.

In addition, the Baltic Hub has become a transport gateway to Central and Eastern Europe, with inland destinations such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Germany. This is the result of continuous investments over the years that have raised rail capacity to 750,000 TEU in 2020.

Baltic Hub CEO Charles Baker promises that Baltic Hub and its partners will implement the project with the highest environmental standards already at the planning stage: "The Baltic Hub is a true terminal of the 21st century, and the development of T3 will bring the latest low-carbon technology that every European port would be proud of.  We reiterate that we are taking internationally recognised precautions to protect the environment, marine life and habitats in the project area. This design from A to Z will reflect our commitment to sustainable investments, for example through the use of low-carbon concrete and the implementation of low-carbon equipment – such as electric shipbuilding cranes".

Baker adds: "T3 will further enrich the services offered by Baltic Hub. Moreover, we will be able to attract new services, destinations and shipping alliances. By developing additional transshipment capacities and opening new maritime connections, we will also stimulate the Polish economy as a whole".

O Baltic Hub

Baltic Hub (BH) started operations in 2007 under the name DCT Gdańsk and has a transshipment capacity of up to 3 million TEU per year. The total length of the two deep-water quays of the terminal is 1.3 km, which allows you to handle 4 ships at the same time. The terminal handles more than 700 ships a year, including 100 calls from the world's largest container ships.  In 2021, the terminal handled more than 2.09 million TEU. On April 8, 2021, BH reached the milestone of 15 million TEU, the total capacity handled since the terminal's inception.  BH employs over 1,200 people, of which over 50% live in Gdańsk and the surrounding area. The terminal has a direct and significant impact on the regional and Polish economy, generating over PLN 12 billion annually to the state budget from VAT, excise and customs duties.  BH is owned by PSA International (40%), the Polish Development Fund (30%) and the IFM Global Infrastructure Fund advised by IFM Investors (30%).

About PSA International

PSA International (PSA) is a leading port group and a trusted partner for cargo stakeholders. With flagship operations in Singapore and Antwerp, PSA's global network includes 160 locations in 42 countries around the world. The Group's portfolio includes more than 60 deep-water, rail and inland waterway terminals, as well as related companies in supply chain management, logistics, maritime and digital services. Drawing on the deep knowledge and experience of a diverse global team, PSA actively works with its customers and partners to deliver world-class port services, develop innovative cargo solutions and co-create the Internet of Logistics. As the partner of choice in the global supply chain, PSA is the "world's port of call". Visit us on www.globalpsa.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook (@globalpsa).

About DEME

DEME (Euronext Brussels: DEME) is a leading contractor in the fields of offshore energy, environmental remediation, dredging and marine infrastructure. DEME is also involved in concession activities in the areas of offshore wind, offshore infrastructure, green hydrogen and deep-sea mineral harvesting. The company can draw on more than 145 years of experience and is a leader in innovation and new technologies. DEME can rely on around 5,000 highly skilled professionals and operates one of the largest and most technologically advanced fleets in the world.