Morawiecki announced the development in a letter to the participants of the 10th International Maritime Congress taking place in the city of Szczecin, in the north-western tip of Poland.
With this new terminal in place, the port of Świnoujście will be able to offer infrastructure services to both Polish and foreign wind farm investors, according to Morawiecki.
The facility is seen as a strategic investment by the government. “The need to properly respond to the changing geopolitical situation is a challenge that we all face," Morawiecki said in his message.
"Ensuring Poland’s energy, food and military security is undoubtedly an important part of it," he added.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki: Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak
The lease agreement for the port areas was signed in the autumn of 2022, and construction of the terminal is due to start later this year, with operational capacity expected to be achieved between 2024 and 2025.
The terminal will initially serve the Baltic Power project and then assist in the implementation of further wind farm investments in the Baltic Sea, according to officials.
The construction of the terminal consists of a "hydrotechnical part," for which the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority is responsible, and a "land part," to be carried out by Orlen Neptun, a company of the Orlen Group, Poland's largest energy conglomerate.
As part of the tasks carried out by the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority, two new quays will be built, extending the existing quays by 25 metres further into the water.
The waterway to the new terminal will be deepened, and the dredge material will be used to fill in between the new and existing quays.
New storage areas for offshore wind turbine components such as towers, blades and nacelles will be created, to a total area of about 17 hectares.
In a separate message to the participants of the Congress, Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński wrote that the maritime sector "must become the driving force for the dynamic development of the Polish coast."
Jarosław Kaczyński. Photo: PR24
The 10th International Maritime Congress in Szczecin includes discussions on “new challenges and threats for ports, shipowners and ferry operators, production and repair shipyards,” as well as deliberations on the development of infrastructure for international transport corridors, inland navigation and multimodal transport routes.
The Szczecin conference is an annual fixture for the international maritime industry. This year's edition concludes on Wednesday.
Polish Deputy Infrastructure Minister Marek Gróbarczyk speaks at the 10th International Maritime Congress in Szczecin on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Photo: PAP/Marcin Bielecki
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP