The Polish container terminal DCT Gdansk has been presented with two awards in the same week. Both recognise the terminal’s major contribution to the present and future prosperity of the fast-growing Polish economy in general and the Gdansk region in particular.

The first presentation was of a Golden Giraffe award and was presented to the DCT management at a ceremony in the Old Town Hall in Gdansk during the IX Gala of Golden Giraffes. The Golden Giraffe awards are presented to selected individuals, companies and institutions involved in significant cultural, political, business, art and other activities. This year, for the first time, a Giraffe of Hope was granted to DCT Gdansk in recognition of both the company’s style of operation and the promise it offers the economic community in Gdansk and the surrounding region. DCT provides a state-of-the-art gateway to the world for Poland’s exporters and importers, encouraging business development on a large scale.

For those curious to know why the Golden Giraffe awards are so called, it is because the giraffe is perceived to be an animal that is aiming high, can see far and has the greatest heart of all mammals, and furthermore has a reputation for bravery. Receiving the award, DCT Gdansk’s CEO Boris Wenzel said: “We are honoured to be granted this prestigious award. DCT Gdansk will grow alongside the national economy, generating success across the entire region. All of Poland will benefit.”He continued: “I would like to make it clear that our terminal was built not to compete with other Polish ports but to win business away from the major terminals in Hamburg, Rotterdam and Bremerhaven. We want to provide Poland with direct maritime links to its most important markets all over the world.” Finally, Mr Wenzel noted that Lech Walesa, the charismatic leader of the Solidarity union in the 1980s and who played a key role in the events that led to the collapse of the Soviet Bloc, subsequently becoming President of Poland from 1990 to 1995, has also been awarded a Golden Giraffe for his contribution to ‘hope for a better tomorrow‘. This particular award was also presented during a special party organised by Lech Walesa on the occasion of his name day on 21 June. DCT management participated in this event.

The Amber Duck awards are presented by the Polish Chamber of Maritime Commerce and are presented during the annual October ‘Shared Duck 2008’ meeting of representatives of the Pomeranian maritime industry and guests. This event is often likened to Hamburg’s Eisbeinessen and will be attended by approximately 2,000 people having connections with the shipping industry.

The awards are presented to enterprises and companies from the maritime sector for significant achievements contributing to the development of shipping, trade and services within the maritime industry. Although ceremonially presented in October, the winners are announced in June. Gdansk lies on the crossroads of both ancient and contemporary amber trade routes and the city became the centre of the amber trade and the home of many amber workshops. Most if not all were destroyed during World War II but recent years have seen a rebirth of this traditional industry.

The DCT Gdansk container terminal began operations on 3 October, 2007. Covering an area of 40 hectares and with an annual handling capability of 500,000TEU, it is the newest Polish deepwater container terminal. Thanks to major investment, it has a sophisticated technical infrastructure and is equipped with cost-efficient handling and storage cranes. Convenient connections with logistic centres in Poland and neighbouring countries enable the terminal to offer high quality services and the opportunity to become one of the Baltic Sea’s biggest container terminals.