Baltic Hub, the largest container terminal in the Baltic Sea, continues to invest in its rail capacity. On 15 July, a fourth RMG crane was added to the rail operations, thereby raising its capacity to more than 800,000 TEUs per year.

The new fully electric RMG crane is now fully operational. The crane’s main structure was produced in Poland and it is equipped with modern OCR systems for automatic identification of container numbers, a gantry anti-collision system and cameras to facilitate the operator's work. In addition, the crane has innovative solutions to improve safety and operational efficiency, such as micro-movement of the spreader for precise positioning and emergency brakes for the hoist mechanism.

Investment in rail infrastructure

The expansion of rail connections is a key element of Baltic Hub's growth strategy to meet customer demands. The terminal currently handles more than 600 trains per month, providing cargo transport not only within Poland, but also to and from Central and Eastern Europe through a network of connections between Poland to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Ukraine.

Years of investment in rail infrastructure, including state-of-the-art handling equipment such as its four electrified RMG cranes with OCR, have not only increased the capacity and safety of rail operations, but also contributed to the reduction of CO2 emissions, offering customers a greener transport option.

CEO of Baltic Hub Charles Baker says, “Investment in rail infrastructure is a strategic element in the development of the Baltic Hub. The fourth RMG crane is a response to the growing demand for intermodal transport. We focus on efficient, safe and environmentally-friendly solutions, offering our customers a competitive service. Given the launch of our third terminal in early 2025 to meet the projected significant increase in rail volumes, we need to be prepared to handle this growth.”

Second rail terminal

The increase in import and export volumes and the imminent launch of the brand new T3 terminal mean that Baltic Hub is already planning the possible scenario of a second rail siding. The current level of rail utilization shows that the potential demand for rail traffic will reach considerably more than the capacity of the existing rail terminal.  A second rail terminal will be needed when Baltic Hub reaches 1 million TEUs on rail, which could happen as early as 2027.  Hence, the Baltic Hub management is working with Polish authorities to secure a suitable location for the construction of a second rail terminal.

A true Baltic container hub

By the end of 2025, with the completion of T3 terminal, Baltic Hub will have a total annual handling capacity of 4.5 million TEUs, over 124 hectares of yard, around 2.1 km of deep-water berth with state-of-the-art equipment (21 ship-to-shore (STS) cranes and 74 yard cranes), seven 750m long rail tracks on a modern rail siding and an automated truck gate complex.  This will make Baltic Hub one of the largest container terminal complexes in Europe. Baltic Hub’s connection to the Polish hinterland, the Central and Eastern Europe and Ukraine are superb, with direct connections to the Polish highway system and the national railway network, which have all undergone amazing transformations and development in recent years. All this leads to much more reliable, fast and efficient infrastructure connections for the safe and effective movement of cargo and goods.