With the arrival of its 1400TEU feeder vessel Cape Fulmar at the DCT Gdansk terminal on 6 June, CMA CGM, one of the top three global ocean carriers, became the first major deep sea container operator to incorporate this brand-new Polish facility into its worldwide network. Cape Fulmar is now expected to make regular calls at DCT Gdansk on her weekly schedule that links four container terminals in Hamburg with Gdynia, Klaipeda and now DCT Gdansk. According to DCT Gdansk’s General Manager, Fred Kamperman, Cape Fulmar discharged 27 20ft and six 40ft containers and loaded two 40ft units: “For a first call, we were really delighted to see so much cargo. When the shippers were loading these containers in Asia, for example, we were still rushing to finish the terminal in time for 1 June, the start date we had set ourselves 24 months ago. We are confident that we can attract much more cargo and more carriers now that we have been able to demonstrate our ability to perform.

“I feel particularly pleased to see CMA CGM in our port. They said they would be the first, they have been very supportive, even loaning us a number of containers for training purposes, and now we are on their FAS Baltic Poland schedule. We aim to ensure that we justify the faith they have placed in us.”

Roman Lysik, Managing Director, PZKB, general agent for the CMA CGM group in Poland, said: “I am personally extremely happy to see CMA CGM being the very first deep sea carrier at DCT Gdansk. I must recall my speech last October at DCT’s End of the Pier Show, the party held to celebrate a key milestone in the completion of the land reclamation work, when I said that CMA CGM would be the one to be first at DCT Gdansk. Our principals were first in both of Gdynia’s terminals in the past and so it has happened in Gdansk as well.” Danuta Bilat, DCT Gdansk’s Commercial Manager, expressed her thanks to those shippers who had nominated the new terminal as their preferred discharge port:

“For several months, we have been working hard with the local forwarding companies and agents, explaining the benefits we could offer. I would like to thank all of those with cargo on this maiden call for their commitment and belief in what we have to offer here in Gdansk.” Amongst the containers to be discharged were 23 x 20ft units loaded with steel products. This shipment from Xiamen in China had been freight arranged by Sea-Logistics Ltd, Gdynia, with port and onward transport within Poland being handled by the Gdynia branch office of Rentrans Cargo Szczecin Ltd.

Sea-Logistic’s President, Dr Tomasz Kubicki, is delighted to see the opening of the new Gdansk terminal: “With Polish trade growing rapidly, we need world-class port facilities if exports and imports are to be handled smoothly and efficiently. We at Sea-Logistics will be supporting DCT Gdansk and look forward to handling many more shipments through this port.”

Pawel Sramski, Director of Rentrans Cargo Szczecin Ltd (Gdynia branch office), was equally complimentary: “With its brand-new railhead, linked directly to the Polish rail system, DCT Gdansk is an easy terminal to reach. Road connections are quite good too but we are all hoping that the Polish authorities can speed up the construction of the new A1 motorway link.

“We are also looking forward to the next phase of Gdansk North Port’s development, namely the new logistics park to be constructed adjacent to the terminal. This will be of great benefit to the local economy of the “Tri-City”, Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot.

DCT Gdansk, Poland’s newest deepwater port facility, celebrated its first day of commercial operations today (1 June) with the arrival of the 822TEU Team Lines’ ship Götaland. The 136-metre container vessel - en route from Klaipeda, Lithuania to Hamburg, Germany - berthed alongside the brand new terminal at 12.00hrs to load 53 Hapag-Lloyd containers, totaling 55TEU. On site to toast the arrival of the terminal’s first ship were the President of the Port, Stanislaw Cora, and the Mayor of the City of Gdansk, Marcin Szpak, as well as Customs and border guard officials, all of whom were welcomed by DCT Gdansk’s management team including the company’s CEO, Colin Chanter, and General Manager, Fred Kamperman.

Mr Chanter praised the various government and public authorities who have played such an important role in the creation of this new port facility and then Mr Kamperman presented a shield displaying the City of Gdansk coat of arms and an array of containers to Götaland’s master, Captain Dieter Kube, to mark the occasion.

Commenting on the arrival of Götaland, Mr Chanter said: “It’s almost two years ago that we set today, 1 June, as the inauguration date of DCT Gdansk’s commercial operations and it is extremely gratifying to see that the first ship has berthed right on schedule. Everyone associated with this project should be very proud. Not only is it a testament to the professional approach adopted by our contractors, Hochtief, Van Oord and Liebherr, but also to all of the companies, large and small, who have played their part in this project.

“I would add too that we have been very impressed by the quality of the individual workers who have participated in the construction of the terminal and the high caliber of the local workforce we have recruited to manage and operate the terminal. Their positive attitude towards the training programme’s we implemented will pay dividends in the months and years to come, of that we can be sure. 

“We are particularly thrilled that Team Lines and Hapag-Lloyd, both leading names in the container shipping industry, have made our first day in business so memorable. We are sure that they will be followed very soon by other major operators as they realise the tremendous potential we have here at DCT Gdansk.”

DCT Gdansk presently has two post-Panamax ship-to-shore (STS) cranes and three rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes in operation and is linked to Poland’s transport infrastructure by new road and rail links. By September 2007 the terminal will be operating with three STS cranes and five RTGs with attendant yard space and back-up machinery to give the facility an annual throughput capacity of 500,000TEU.