Splash247: Port upgrades open Gdynia to 400-metre boxships

Published by Splash247

The Port of Gdynia has handled its largest containership to date following a series of infrastructure and equipment upgrades aimed at opening the Polish gateway to the biggest boxships operating in the Baltic.

The 399-metre, 16,652 teu MSC Venice made its inaugural call at International Container Terminal Services Inc’s Baltic Container Terminal, becoming the longest and largest vessel to berth at Gdynia.

The call follows the deepening of port waters, reconstruction of the Helskie Quay and expansion of Turning Basin No. 2, giving BCT the clearance and manoeuvring space needed to accommodate vessels of up to 400 m.

BCT completed the first phase of the quay programme last year, delivering 400 m of new quay with 15.5 metres of depth alongside, new crane rails, heavy-duty surfaces and upgraded utility and hydrotechnical systems. The first phase cost $42m, while the full two-stage programme was budgeted at more than $84m.

The terminal has also commissioned two new ship-to-shore cranes capable of reaching across 25 container rows. The units have a lifting height of 55 metres and can handle 65 tonnes under the spreader, taking BCT’s quay crane fleet to eight.

ICTSI said the vessel call marked the completion of the latest terminal upgrades and demonstrated BCT’s ability to handle the largest containerships currently entering the Baltic.

The development gives Gdynia greater scope to attract direct deepsea services rather than relying predominantly on feeder connections through northern Europe’s larger hubs. BCT already handles MSC’s Britannia service linking Asia and northern Europe.

ICTSI has operated the terminal since 2003 and secured a new 30-year lease in 2022, extending its tenure at Gdynia until 2053. The company had invested more than $100m in the facility before launching the latest quay and equipment programme.