Singapore-based port operator PSA International, Poland’s sovereign wealth fund PFR, and IFM Global Infrastructure Fund (GIF), have agreed a deal with Australian infrastructure firm Macquarie to buy Poland’s largest container port DCT Gdansk.
DCT Gdańsk is situated at the crossroads of the Baltic deep-sea trading routes and holds a strategic position as a major gateway into Poland and Central-Eastern European markets.
Construction of the Port began in 2005 with the outgoing shareholders facilitating the greenfield development of the port and overseeing 13 years of transformational growth.
Following a significant capital expenditure programme, the port’s capacity doubled in 2016 with the completion of a second quay. Container volumes have grown steadily over the years to reach 1.9 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in 2018.
According to a press release from Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA), DCT Gdańsk is the fastest growing container port in Europe and is ranked amongst the 15 largest container ports on the continent. With a quay length of 1,306 meters and a maximum depth of 17 meters, the terminal is well-equipped to handle the largest container vessels calling at the terminal already today.
Tan Chong Meng, Group CEO of PSA International, said: “DCT Gdańsk is PSA’s first investment in Eastern Europe, and we look forward to working closely with our partners PFR and IFM to further develop its facilities and to strengthen its position as the preferred port of call for Poland and the Baltic Sea. Through leveraging our global network and our expertise in creating value for the port and shipping communities, PSA will partner with shipping lines, logistics operators and cargo owners to deliver more efficient, flexible and robust supply chain solutions for the region.”
DCT Gdańsk is the only terminal in the Baltic that can serve ULCV’s (Ultra Large Container Vessels), the world’s largest container ships with a capacity of up to 23,000 TEUs. It provides shipping lines and end-customers with a reliable and cost-effective alternative to the ports of Northern Europe, servicing direct connections with Asia all year round.